


You Might Take My Privacy

by yanderekirklandchan



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Angst, Depression, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Implied/Referenced Suicide, M/M, Time Travel, watching the series
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-21
Updated: 2019-05-04
Packaged: 2020-01-23 02:43:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 29,577
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18540670
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yanderekirklandchan/pseuds/yanderekirklandchan
Summary: Doctor Who characters watch the series. Three doctors and many companions meet, more come later. Scripts found online, not written by me.*******The Doctor values his privacy greatly. So, as a punishment for the crimes he's committed over his life, his privacy is taken away.





	1. They All Meet

**Author's Note:**

> I love these stories! But I've read them all and can't seem to find many that do anything other than series 1 and 2 (if you know of any please comment the name!) So I decided to try my hand at writing one. Please tell me if you like it so far in the comments or if you're interested in reading in general.

Ten gritted his teeth, falling towards the ground. He saw the glass roof of the building growing closer and closer and… what had he been thinking? Jumping like that from a spaceship! He knew very well what he was thinking. He could hide behind the urgency of needing to stop the Master, to stop the Time War from restarting afresh. He didn’t have time to land the thing, he’d be a sitting target. But really, the reality of why he’d jumped like that, was that a part of him wished he wouldn’t make it. A part of him hoped, as he clutched that gun, that item he despised so much, that he would die before he had to use the thing. He would probably regenerate, sure. For the last time. He may be tenth but he’d burnt through his regenerations already. No second chances. One last regeneration. Did he want to take even that chance? He was the ‘no second chances' man, as he’d established when he murdered the Sycorax leader. Maybe he could take a leaf out of the Master’s took and just… refuse to regenerate. He was dying anyway.

He gasped, fighting the urge to close his eyes as he braced for impact with that roof. That obnoxious roof. Who needed a roof made of glass? It was like it was made to fall through! His eyes widened and his body flailed in the air. Fuck. He was going to fall through a glass roof. FUCK. Too late to turn back. The next thing he knew was smashing, pain, slicing flesh, falling then… an empty room? He hit the floor, unconscious, before he had time to process what he’d seen.  
*******  
Eleven's smile fell from his face the moment the TARDIS door closed behind him. He’d had to keep up the pretense that he was okay in front of the others, he had to be the smiling face so they had hope in the midst of their despair. How could he be okay? Sure, the baby was River. That wonderful, weird, shocking, it was so shocking in fact that he had genuinely forgotten his sorrow for a moment. Just for one moment, though. Because he could never forget the look on Amy’s face, Rory’s face. They’d lost their child. He’d been all around the universe, and others too, and there wasn’t tragedy that exceeded that one. They grew up with their daughter without knowing it, that was true, but they also had their newborn baby girl snatched away from their arms, and there was nothing they could do to get her back.

He tried to tell himself that it was better this way, Melody was a Time Lord, she wouldn’t age like a human. So, really, it as better this way, it afforded the heartbreak of watching her parents grow old. But who’s fault was that in the first place? His. All his. Amy had been worried that the baby would have a time head… the only reason she was a Time Lord was because of him. The only reason she was stolen away was because of him. He’d ruined his best friends' lives and there was nothing he could do about it.

He punched the TARDIS console before instantly swearing in Gallifreyan. That hurt! Well… he deserved pain for all that.  
“Sorry, old girl.” He murmured softly, running a hand over the patch of console he’d punched, not that he’d done any damage but it was quite rude of him. He sighed, doubling over against the console, face in his hands. He was allowed to have a breakdown when no one was watching. It was with his eyes closed like this that he suddenly heard a voice.

“Who the hell are you?”  
He spun around, eyes wide with shock. No one was supposed to be in the TARDIS! This was like Donna Noble all over again… he winced at the memory of his old friend. He gasped when he saw who it was, though, it… it was Donna Noble!  
“Donna!” he exclaimed, a massive grin on his face before his expression morphed into a horrified one. She saw him… she was going to burn up!  
Her eyes widened in fear “How do you know me? Who the hell are you? What have you done with the Doctor?”  
Eleven frowned. The Doctor? She remembered? He had to fix this! He may have lost Melody and Amy and Rory but he wasn’t about to lose Donna too if he could help it.

“Donna…” he said, arms raised as if he was approaching a wounded animal “I know your head is burning, I know you’re confused but… just come here. Let me fix it. I can take it away, all that information burning your brain away. Just let me touch you like so…” he received a slap to the face for that.  
“Oi! Don’t you touch me anywhere, sunshine. Stay the hell away from me and start explaining!”  
“Donna, please! I know you’re scared and confused and in pain but let me help, please! Let me help this one time. I can’t… I-I can’t fail again, not today. Not again…” Eleven said, voice quivering with tears by the end. He didn’t even notice they weren’t alone.  
“Hey! If you want her, you have to go through me too!”  
Eleven’s eyes widened. Martha Jones! It was Martha Jones!  
“Martha Jones!” he cried out in surprise and joy.  
She glared at him “Who are you? How did we get here? Are you working for the sontarans because listen here, mister, we have a friend, his name is the Doctor. And he will be looking for us! So don’t you even try anything—”

Sontarans? Martha and Donna knew each other? They didn’t seem to be surprised that they were together which meant… they’d come from the sontaran ATMOS situation! But most importantly that meant that Donna hadn’t… Donna wasn’t… he suddenly got tearful. She was okay. He could see her again, he could talk to her again and she wouldn’t die. While he was grinning like an idiot, the two girls seemed less than impressed. When he noticed he raised his hands in surrender.  
“Hey, hey! It’s me! It's the Doctor.” He said in a soothing voice, eyes kind if sad.  
Donna scrunched up her face “I call bullshit. Who are you? You look nothing like the Doctor!”  
Martha, though, looked at him with consideration.  
“Come on, Martha Jones. You know about regeneration. It’s still me though, even if I look different.” Eleven insisted.  
She shook her head “How do I know it’s you?”  
He nodded “Good. Good, smart, clever. Clever girl, you were always clever.” He said with a fond, nostalgic smile “First time you met me, I took of my tie. First time I met you, I was in a hospital bed. You were training to be a doctor, checked both sides of my chest and found a heartbeat on both. Then I—” he was cut off by a big hug.  
“Doctor, it is you! It's really you!” Martha exclaimed.  
Eleven chuckled “Yes, that’s me. I am ‘me’.”  
Donna frowned “What is happening? Martha, do you know him?”  
The other woman shook her head in wonder “It’s him! It’s the Doctor!”  
Donna looked up at Eleven with a frown but was far more calm now “Is this a space boy thing?” she asked with a slightly fond, fed up look.  
He nodded with a smile “ ‘fraid so. A spacey wacey thing.” He smiled “Come here you!” with that he pulled them into a group hug.

Someone cleared their voice behind them, making all three spin around in alarm. There stood Rose and Mickey. Eleven gaped in recognition, but the other two looked on blank.  
“Are we interrupting something here?” Mickey asked, raising his eyebrow suggestively.  
Eleven smiled fondly “Mickey the idiot!” he exclaimed, arms open for a hug.  
Mickey looked at him coldly with a hint of a pout “Yeah, you’re one to talk. With that bow tie, who’s he idiot now? Who are you, anyway?”  
Rose shook her head “Doesn’t matter right now. The real question is: who’s that? And is he dead?” she exclaimed, pointing to the other side of the room.

Eleven swiveled on his heel, eyes wide and worried. When he saw who it was, his worry dropped, but his concern grew. All these people in the same place, none with any recollection of how they got here, he’d bet. Now this. What was happening?  
“Oh my gosh, Doctor!” Martha cried in horror, running to the motionless man’s side.  
Donna was close after her, dropping to her knees beside unconscious, bloodied Ten “Is he breathing?”  
Martha, who was already checking his vitals, nodded “Yeah.”  
Rose frowned in confusion “Hold on, what do you mean that’s the Doctor?”  
Martha bit her lip, shaking her head “I’m assuming you must have met a different face of his then? Well… you know he’s alien, right? Time Lords change their face when they’re about to die. Regenerate themselves. Look, two hearts.” She pressed her hand on each side of Ten’s chest “Both working.”

Rose’s eyes were wide in shock, how could that be the Doctor? He looked so… so different. It wouldn’t be the weirdest thing he’d done but… she’d always thought he’d be there for her, the constant through all of the madness. She felt strangely betrayed. Alone. She thought she knew him! And then he went and did this. She dropped down to her knees beside the broken man. This couldn’t be the Doctor. The Doctor didn’t bleed like this. And the Doctor didn’t carry a gun.  
“Where are you from then?” Eleven asked, making Rose jump.  
She blinked away her tears, looking up “W-What?”  
“What have you just experienced. Describe it. Like… what aliens, what planet, who was there. Something that I can use to try and identify where from the time stream you’re from.” Eleven said, his hearts pounding at the sight of this girl. He thought he’d never see her again. He was trying to stay professional, not let up. He was having a very… emotional day.  
“Um… D-Daleks. Fleets of ‘em.” She sniffled softly “He sent me back… the Doctor. My Doctor.” She scowled, steeling herself and wiping away a few stray tears “Well, I don’t know why I’m telling you! You don’t even know me so what’s that got to do with anything?”  
Eleven smiled softly, sadly “Oh, do I know you.” He had to hide tears himself. It ended well for Rose, he had to remember. It didn’t end well for him. He pushed that away, it didn’t matter what became of him. “I'm the Doctor.”

Rose opened her mouth, shocked, about to say something. She didn’t know what. No one would ever find out what because right then the unconscious man on the floor next to her gasped, eyes snapping open.  
Ten looked up in confusion before a delighted look formed on his face “Rose!” he cried in pure surprise and joy.  
Rose looked at him blankly, slightly afraid. That was enough to make any happiness on Ten’s ace drain, his eyes fluttering closed in exhaustion.  
Martha frowned “Hold on, Rose? Rose Tyler? The Rose Tyler?”  
Donna interjected “Wait a second, I saw you! You were the girl I saw that night. I put the car keys in the bin and you were there!”  
Rose looked around at them, overwhelmed “I-I…” she stammered. She didn’t know what to say.

“Rose?” called a new voice.  
Rose almost cried out. Wasn’t this enough confusion already? What did these people want from her! She spun around to see… “Jack?” she ran up to him and hugged him. Finally! A familiar face.  
Captain Jack looked at her with wide eyes “Rose…” he breathed “I-I thought…”  
Eleven waved his arms around frantically to cut him off. They couldn’t mess with time, and he didn’t want to scare Rose. Luckily, Jack seemed to get the message, though he raised an eyebrow at Eleven as if to say ‘who are you?’. Eleven mouthed ‘Doctor’ which caused Jack’s eyes to widen, though he wasn’t as surprised.

Jack grinned and ran to Martha next “Martha Jones! Voice of a nightingale. I was worried there for a second that I’d left you and the Doc behind when I used the vortex manipulator— what the hell happened to him?” His eyes were wide with shock as he stared at Ten.  
“Fell out of a spaceship.” Ten groaned.  
“Jumped.” Eleven amended.  
“Fell because I jumped.” Ten argued. He groaned and pushed himself up to a seated position, eyeing Eleven knowingly. There was only one reason he’d know that, because he definitely wasn’t on the ship to witness it. “Doctor.” He greeted with a nod.  
“Doctor.” Eleven said with a small smile.  
“And we’re not from your time, Jack. Martha and me. Or, anyone for that matter. I’m assuming… the end of the universe? ‘Doctor YANA'?”  
Jack nodded darkly. Ten sighed, pushing himself up to a standing position.  
“Doctor, you really shouldn’t—”  
“I’m fine, Martha.” Ten insisted.

“Hello, Sweetie.”  
They all spun around.  
Ten’s eyes widened “You!”  
River only winked but her attention was on Eleven. She walked straight up to him before kissing him deeply “Hello, my love.” She murmured softly.  
“Hello.” Eleven greeted, kissing back. His smile was genuine but his eyes were sad. River Song. Melody Pond. Amy… oh, Amy. Rory. He couldn’t save the child. All his fault. Like River said, as much as he likes to think ‘This wasn’t me' this was exactly him.  
River looked at him with big sad eyes, cupping his cheeks tenderly “Where are you from?” she asked in a sad, concerned tone, seeing his clear anguish.  
He swallowed, looking down “…You’re Melody.” He breathed.  
She sighed softly, eyes wet “Oh my poor love.” She said, voice heartbreakingly empathetic as she cradled his head against the crook of her shoulder.  
Rose watched sadly, feeling rejected and utterly alone. The others watched with varying degrees of discomfort or confusion.

Suddenly, a girl screamed before hitting the floor with a thud and a winded ‘oof'. Everyone spun to look at her but none recognised her. She took a moment to gather herself, slowly pushing up to her feet. She looked around with wide eyes.  
“Professor Song. Doctors.” Clara said, nodding in recognition.  
River looked up but didn’t let go of her Doctor “Hello. Sorry if I’m being rude but, who are you? A bit out of sync with the times.”  
Clara nodded “Oh. Right, of course. I’m Clara Oswald. Hello.” She waved at them all with a slightly awkward smile.  
“Why'd you fall from the ceiling, then?” Mickey asked with a frown.  
“Erm… Missy was trying to eat me, I think. I was tied up rotisserie chicken style.”  
“Who’s Missy?” Jack asked curiously.  
Clara blinked “…Nobody. Spoilers.” At the last word, her eyes flickered to the couple hugging. River really was the Doctor’s wife, wasn’t she?

“Um… so nobody knows me?” Clara asked as a final hope. Everyone shook their head. She sighed “Brilliant. Well, the doctor I meet is that one.” She said, pointing at Eleven. She didn’t want to mention Twelve since technically Eleven was supposed to be the last.  
“Clara, Clara, Clara. Forget about me so soon?” A new voice said.  
Clara gasped and ran up to the newcomer, Twelve, “Doctor!” she cried out, hugging him. As expected, he stiffened up awkwardly. She didn’t care.  
Eleven and Ten stared.  
“What?” Eleven exclaimed with a thoroughly confused face.  
“But that’s—” Ten started.  
“Impossible!” Eleven finished.  
“Highly improbable.” Ten added.  
“But,” Eleven amended “Not utterly unheard of.”

Twelve scowled, unimpressed “If you two go tweedle dum and dummer on me I’m leaving.”  
“Doctor!” Clara chided “Rude. Where’s your flashcards? And anyway, where will you leave too. It seams to me we’re trapped.”  
Twelve rolled his eyes “I meant leave life but well done for your optimism.”  
Clara slapped his arm “Oi. What've I told you about self depreciating jokes?”  
“ ‘Leave it to Gen Z'. Why? What’re you gonna do? Safeguard me? I’m not one of your students.”  
“You traveled with a teacher before? Is that why you became a teacher? Why have I never heard about this before?” said a new female voice.  
Twelve grinned “Bill! There you are. You’ve been hiding from me. It’s because you haven’t finished your assignment, isn’t it?”  
Bill scrunched up her nose and chose to ignore him “Hey! It’s the girl on your desk!” she exclaimed excitedly, running to River with a grin.  
Twelve huffed “Don’t change the subject. I am still your professor!”  
Bill shrugged “I don’t even go to that university.”  
Clara raised her eyebrows in shock “Hold on, you’re a professor? As in… teaching kids? As in employed? As in—”  
“Your eyes are doing a thing, Clara. Stop it before they explode. Or become as round as your face.” Twelve said, while trying to distract Bill from his wife, to little success.

“Is this the dreamlord again? This… this looks different.” A new voice yet again. Everyone spun to look but they were too late to spot how the person had appeared. Or… people. Amy and Rory stared at each other in confusion which became mistrust as they spotted all the others.  
“Who are they? They’re not from the TARDIS or the village.” Rory pointed out, instinctively standing in front of his pregnant wife. Okay. Not pregnant in this… dream? It was probably another dream the Dream Lord threw in to confuse them further.  
Amy shook her head “They probably don’t even exist this is most likely still a dream.”  
Rory nodded “Yeah. But where’s the Doctor?”  
Eleven finally parted from his wife, walking to the Ponds with a sad smile. So young. Before he ruined their lives. “Hello, Ponds.” He said. Though he smiled his voice was sad, almost exhausted.  
Amy grinned “Doctor! For a moment I thought that we’d lost you!” she ran up to hug him.  
“Me? My Ponds lose me? That’ll be a dark day indeed.” He said with a smile that was perhaps too sad. “Listen. Amy. Rory. There’s something I need to tell you. We are not in a dream anymore, this is real.”

Amy pulled back from the hug, looking at him suspiciously as she backed away “And how do I know that you’re not part of the dream? Trying to trick us into never leaving, chosing the wrong ‘reality’?”  
Eleven smiled, a real one this time, “Oh, Amelia. That’s exactly the right question. Well done. No fooling a Pond. Well, I am the Doctor. This isn’t a dream. You know that because I know who the Dream Lord is. I knew all along. It’s me. I wasn’t keeping us in there but the fictional being the Dream Lord we saw in our dreams was me.”  
Amy blinked in confusion “But… you said he hated you. More than anyone.”  
Eleven did that sad smile again, straightening his bowtie “I did, didn’t I? Well, that’s how you know it’s not a dream. Because dreams are in your head, your imagination. And you couldn’t have imagined that, huh? Now… for more pressing matters. Why are we here? Where is here? How did we get here? Who brought us here? Why? What do they want from us?”

“Finally. Someone is asking the right questions.” Said Twelve, clasping his hands together. He whipped out his sonic sunglasses, scanning the area. He frowned “No. That can’t be right.” He took them off, whacking them against his palm a few times before trying again “We’re… not in the universe anymore.”  
Eleven paled “A pocket universe? Like ‘Home’? If this is another one of those sick traps…”  
Twelve shook his head “No. I don’t think so. Look around, that was a junkyard, this is an empty room.”  
“It looks like a room. A normal room. But not in our universe.” Said Ten “A pocket universe, evidently. But was it purposefully created or was it shifted out of alignment from our universe from a temporal anomaly?”  
Twelve frowned “It's on purpose, of course it is. Look at all these people. These are very specific people. Specifically chosen because they link to us. Now… that leaves the question of who’s done this and what exactly they want from us. Finding out the answer of one will help with working out the other.”  
Ten clicked his tongue “They have to be strong. Proper strong, nor just anyone. And know us. Daleks? Could this be Daleks? Time Lords?”  
The other two had just opened their mouths to respond when they were interrupted.

“Doctor?” Clara called, sounding exasperated.  
“Yes?” all three said in response.  
Clara bit her lip and frowned “Erm… Eyebrows.” She said cheekily, receiving an indignant ‘hey’ “Do you remember when there were last three Doctors stuck in a room?”  
“Yes.” Twelve answered.  
“And you were all trying to be clever?” she added.  
“Were being clever. Yes.”  
“And there was a door?” She continued.  
Twelve sighed “Yes. Is there a point to this? Or are you just trying to bruise my ego?”  
Clara smirked “Your ego is a very big target. But no. And the door… you didn’t try it? But it was open?”  
“Yes! What is your point, oh wise and noble teacher?” he asked in exasperated frustration.

Clara smirked and pointed at the door. Twelve blinked, staring at it for a moment before sighing and glaring around the room.  
“Okay, laugh at me all you want but none of you tried it either!” Twelve defended before walking over to the door. He hesitated before he touched it, looking at everyone with worried, stern eyes “Stay back. All of you, I mean it. And brace yourselves. Just in case.”  
There were spattered protests, from Doctors and companions alike, but Twelve waved them away.  
“It has to be me.” He insisted “I’m the most expendable. You lot are all either breakable humans or me from the past. And we’ve for enough paradoxes going on here without the disaster that’d be me dying too soon.”  
Everyone collectively held their breath as he turned the handle. It was open. He took a deep breath before throwing the door open, crying out and holding the screwdriver like a weapon. Twelve blinked in surprise. He hadn’t been expecting anything in particular but he definitely didn’t expect to find this. A few long sofas and armchairs scattered around. A massive TV on one wall at the centre. Food, lots of it. Another door on the other side. But most importantly, it was not empty. In the room sat four people. An old man, a young looking boy and girl and a blonde girl in a nice looking coat. Timidly, everyone walked into the room.

“It doesn’t have bake off? What type of telly doesn’t he bake off?” the blonde was saying, standing on the sofa as she pointed a sonic device at the screen.  
The young girl rolled her eyes “It doesn’t have anything, remember! It's completely blank.”  
“It'd help if we had the remote.” The boy said.  
The man rolled his eyes “How many times? I’m not sitting on it! Don’t make me stand up again!”  
Clara cleared her throat. The four spun around to stare.  
“Who are you?” Twelve asked coldly, though he highly doubted these people were their captors. But you could never be too sure.  
“Are you like us?” Eleven asked hopefully, not wanting a confrontation.  
The blonde smiled brightly “Hello! Didn’t see you there! We were having a bit of trouble with the telly.” She said in a friendly manner “And if by ‘like us' you mean we suddenly appeared here from going about our every day lives, no clue as of how, then yeah. We just appeared here a while ago then we saw a door. I like doors! Doors are good! Who’d have ever thought? Little piece of material in a wall that opens and closes and goes anywhere in between. Better than a wall. Better than a hole in the wall. Doors are—”  
“Going off on one again.” Yaz pointed out with a fond smile.  
“Yeah, Doc, are you trying to do small talk again?” Ryan said with a small chuckle.  
Thirteen grinned, unperturbed “Purple sofas all the way.

“Anyway,” she continued “As for who we are… I’m Doctor… Theila… Oakbarrow.”  
“Yasmin. Or Yaz.”  
“Graham.”  
“Ryan.”  
Thirteen grinned around at them all “Yeah! That’s us. The fam. Gang. The whole teeeam.”  
The other three groaned with kind hearted exasperation on their faces.  
Thirteen only snickered “Anyway!” she clapped her hands together “That's us. Who are you?” though she knew very well, her companions would benefit from it.  
“I’m the twelfth Doctor. Just call me Twelve.” He said quickly, before anyone could recommend he be nicknamed ‘eyebrows'. “Most recently I was in a university marking papers. And guarding a vault. I believe I’m from the same time as Bill.”  
Bill waved “Hi. That’s me. I travel with the Doctor. The grumpy Scottish one. I’m als kind of his student/lunch lady.”

“I’m the eleventh Doctor. Call me Eleven. I came from demons run. I’m from your future, Amy, Rory.” He shot a look at the two.  
Amy waved, grabbing Rory’s hand so he was dragged up too “Hello! I’m Amy. Eleven calls me Amelia. Me and this one,” she nudged Rory’s shoulder “Are the Ponds. We came from… the Dream Lord situation.”  
Rory nodded “I’m Rory. Rory Williams, not Pond. Not that anyone cares. I'm Amy's fiancé."  
“Clara Oswald.” Clara said with a smile “Hello. I’m a teacher and companion/carer of the angry eyebrows Doctor. I’m from Skaro, being almost eaten by Missy. She came to me with a confession dial and I’ve been stuck with her since.”  
“River Song. I’m from around about. I was just visiting someone’s funeral. Someone very precious to me. Though, he could lose the cowboy hat.”  
“Captain Jack Harkness, at your service. I was at the end of the universe after the Master escaped. Skinny, spikey hair pretty boy Doctor over there and Martha were with me, though apparently I’m he only one who came from that time.”

Ten grinned “Hiya! I’m the pretty boy, apparently. I’m tenth Doctor. Call me Ten, or pretty boy. That works too. I…” the light hearted smile fell “I just jumped from a spaceship through a glass window.”  
Donna smiled around “Hi, I’m Donna. I’m a temp from Chiswick. I travel with the Doctor. Ten.”  
“Doctor Martha Jones. I work for Unit, I’m a doctor there. I was with Donna, fighting Sontarans and cars.”  
“I’m Rose Tyler. Um, I was just sent back to Earth when me and the Doctor, my Doctor who isn’t here, were fighting Daleks in the future. On a satellite. Jack was there but apparently that was the past for him, I’m assuming.”  
“Mickey Smith. I don’t travel with the Doctor. I know him, though. Through Rose. I’m from the same time as Rose.”

As each person introduced themselves and everyone settled on the sofas and chairs, Ryan, Yaz, Graham and Thirteen gathered together.  
“Why did you lie, Doc?” Graham asked.  
“Oh, I lie all the time, it’s like breathing to me.” Thirteen replied flippantly.  
“Yeah, but why hide who you are?” Ryan asked.  
“A little because I don’t want to mess up time. A little because I think it’ll be funny to see who figures out. Mostly, though, my head still hurts from that fall on Reighlang III! Wowza do those rocks hurt!”  
Yaz frowned in concern “Are you alright?”  
Thirteen nodded “Yeah. Course. It’s me! When am I ever not fine? I just don’t want to deal with all the questions about being a girl until my head gets better. And anyway, I don’t want to distract anyone from what’s actually important. Why are we here? Who put us here? Are we in danger? How do we get out? That’s what’s important.”

“Does anybody know anything about this?” Clara asked “Anything at all? Suggestions of who might have done this. Memories of how we were taken. Anything of use, please share.”  
“Do what she says, she’s a teacher. And a total control freak. Even has flashcards.” Twelve teased, earning a slap on the arm.  
Thirteen stuck her hand up.  
Clara blinked at her “Um…I know I’m a teacher but you don’t have to put your hand up.”  
Thirteen blushed and lowered her hand “Right. Well, I think this letter might tell us something. It was here when we came in. I was about to read it when you all came in. Here, I’ll read it aloud now.”

 _Dear all,_  
_It is the official decision of the court of the High Council, with the final ruling of Rassilon, that the punishment of the renegade Time Lord known as ‘The Doctor', for numerous crimes against planet and the universe, is to exceed the normal extreme punishment of execution and will hereby become a special case. It has been noted that the accused wishes for death and therefore execution is no longer a viable punishment. Furthermore, it has been noted that the accused's most valued possession is privacy. Therefore, it is the final decision of the court that the punishment will be a complete removal of the accused’s privacy before those individuals they value the esteem of most. This punishment will continue for as long as the High Council sees fit._

There was silence.  
“Well… that was grim.” Thirteen said with a bright smile, though her insides were squirming. How dare they? Crimes against the planet? The universe? …well, they may have a point. But it wasn’t fair! This punishment… it was worse than execution! Worse than prison! Her privacy removed? In front of her most esteemed individuals? This was reminiscent of… in medieval earth times when criminals were stripped naked and tied to a cart, taken around the village while they were whipped for the whole lot to see. How did they know her so well?  
No one else looked happy either. The Doctors had gone quiet. The companions were either wide eyed with confusion and apprehension or complaining.  
“Removing all your privacy? Because they know how much you value it? This must be illegal!” Martha exclaimed.  
“Crazy Space cult thinks they can abduct me just like that!” Donna was complaining.  
“Doctor, we should just get out. There has to be a way out.” Amy insisted.  
After that, Thirteen tuned it all out. She frowned. “Wait… there’s another letter here.”  
“Read it, Doc.” Ryan said _._

 _Hello Everyone!_  
_It's me: Sexy. I saw what Rassilon was doing and tries my best to help my thief. I did my best but I couldn’t stop it. I blocked some of the people from being transported here, leaving only the people I trust to look after my thief at their most vulnerable. And Clara’s here too, I couldn’t stop that. I made it as comfortable as I could, I brought food and sofas and behind those doors are bedrooms. Rassilon doesn’t know. He would have that this is torture. Well, it is supposed to be. By violating your privacy he means you all have to relive moments from the Doctor’s life. I did my best to remove the most violating or painful but most still got through. The High Council is too strong. I did manage to make the memories into a more palatable visual collection. A TV series, if you will. I added music and everything, and tried to cut more gruesome scenes. I am so very sorry this is happening to you, dead thief. I’m sorry I couldn’t help you more._  
_See you on the other side,_  
_Sexy_

Thirteen was left smiling after that one, if a little sadly “You’re always there for me, eh Old girl?” she muttered to herself.  
Jack frowned “Who's Sexy?” he asked, clearly interested.  
Amy snorted in amusement “The TARDIS. It’s what that great big idiot calls the TARDIS.” She said with a giggle.  
That got laughs from around the room.  
“So, what? The TARDIS is trying to save you, Doctor? That’s… kinda sweet.” Martha said with a smile.  
“Definitely sweet!” added Bill “I so ship it.”  
Ten tried to hide his blush “The TARDIS is always trying to save us. And succeeding.”  
“Don’t you mean ‘Sexy is always trying to save us'?” Donna snickered.  
“Oi, lay off.” Ten looked at Eleven and Twelve accusingly “I’m blaming one of you for this.”  
Twelve pointed at Eleven.

“Children, please.” Thirteen butted in, though she was clearly amused “Why don’t we focus here?”  
“Hey, wait a minute.” Said Rose “You guys haven’t introduced yourself, not properly. As in how you know the Doctor and where you’re from.”  
“Astute point, Rose.” Thirteen complimented with a smile “I... Am Doctor Theila Oakbarrow. I travel around in the TARDIS. I know all of you in the future. Long story. I just came from tea at Yaz's!” she declared proudly.  
“Hello, I am Yaz. I’m a police officer. I travel in the TARDIS with… Theila. I’m from the same time too. I don’t know you, though.”  
“My name is Ryan. Same as Yaz.”  
“Yeah, same. I’m Graham. Bus driver, retired.”  
“Thanks.” Said Rose with a small smile, tucking her hands in her hoodie. She was still overwhelmed by this all. Everyone else seemed to know more than her! She didn’t like it.

“So…” Ten said with a frown “Now we’ve all introduced ourselves, what happens?”  
The TV flickered to life.


	2. Dalek (part one)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLEASE READ: This is not finished. I didn't mean for this to be separate to the other half but writing it was taking so long I thought I might as well post what I have so you can read something while I write the rest.

Everyone was startled by the TV whirring to life, staring in surprise.  
“Did someone find the remote then?” Ryan asked with a frown, looking around.  
Eleven shook his head, jaw locked “I doubt there is a remote. If this is to be my big punishment then I don’t think I’m going to be given any control over it.”  
“Besides,” added Twelve “Look at this room! Apart from the food, we have no materials. Even the TV is part of the wall. A remote would be a tool that we just might be able to use to escape. The High Council has learnt not to take any chances when it comes to me—us.”  
Ten dropped to the floor “Ooh hello. Look, even the furniture is screwed down. Well... I say screwed. More like it’s bound in place by a micro dimensional vacuum between the legs of the chairs and the floor, captured in a semi-permanent status fiel—” he looked up and saw everyone’s faces “Erm... Basically, it’s stuck down.”  
“Guys. Has anyone noticed how the TV stopped playing when we started to talk?” Thirteen intervened.  
Everyone turned to look at the TV.  
“So it did.” Ten nodded in agreement. He turned to Thirteen with a grin “Very good, Theila!”

Thirteen smiled at him before pulling a face and crouching down to whisper to her fam, who had all dibs-ed the centre couch, “Do I always sound that patronising when I compliment people?”  
Graham made a sympathetic face “Kind of. Like you’re surprised us mere mortals could add anything of use.”  
Thirteen looked horrified “I don’t mean it like that at all! I swear!”  
Yaz rested a hand on her shoulder “We know that, Doc. If it makes you feel any better, most people are scrambling for the moments that you might compliment them.”  
Thirteen smiled and nodded but that didn’t make her feel better at all. She had no right to act high and mighty. She was old, immoral, really not that great at all. She was just a mixture of arrogant, mad and lucky, nothing to be looked up to. Her companions, they were the real wonders. The things they did. The people they were. She looked around the room with a distant smile. She loved them all so much.

“So... We’re going to just sit here and watch the telly then?” Eleven asked, pulling a face.  
“Seen as we have no alternative, I’d say so.” Twelve retorted.  
Ten sunk against the chair “Just sitting here. Watching the TV. How... disgustingly human.”  
“And we’re just expected to... What? To sit here? Just... Sitting? And watching? And sitting some more? Time all... Passing in the right order?” Eleven groaned.  
“Disgusting.” Twelve pulled a face.  
Clara looked at them with wide eyes and frustratedly folded arms “Quiet, the lot of you! Yes, apparently that’s our reality for the foreseeable future. You’re only making it longer and therefore worse by talking. It won’t start till we shut up, remember?”  
The Doctors dipped their heads in shame. Who exactly had chosen to travel with a school teacher?

“Is that why you’re doing it?” Yaz asked softly. She blushed when suddenly all the attention was on her “I-I mean... Are you delaying on purpose? To put it off?” she played with her sleeves nervously, assuming to know what the Doctor, the so very guarded Doctor, was thinking in a room full of people who probably knew her, or him, better was nerve wracking. She swallowed “Because if that’s the case... I think it’s definitely alright for you to be scared right now. Or upset. Or... Whatever other variation of not okay you are. It’s definitely understandable. What s is happening to you is awful, violating, just... wrong. But remember that this... High Council has a flaw in their grand punishment scheme: you’re in a room of your best friends, you can trust us and confide in is and we are here for you.” Yaz shrunk back into the sofa. She wasn’t a shy person but these people were all brilliant and incredibly intimidating. She felt a warm hand squeeze her arm comfortingly and looked up to see Thirteen smiling softly at her, eyes wide, raw and incredibly touched.  
“What did you say your name was?” River asked.  
“Y-Yaz. Yasmin.” She replied, eyes wide. She hadn’t really been spoken to by any of this lot yet.  
River smiled warmly “Thank you, Yaz. I can see you’re good for him.”  
Yaz looked around at the Doctors who were all looking at her the same way that Thirteen did. She chuckled softly “Yeah. Good for... him.”  
All the Doctors, bar Thirteen, were thinking about how they must meet this girl. They could tell already why future them liked her and looked forward to meeting her.

Everyone was silent after the speech, the Doctors finally feeling... Well, they were no less scared. But remembering who exactly they had right by their side made them gain the strength they needed to continue. All those gathered pressed closer to their respective Doctor, wanting them to know they were here and that it would be okay. Donna and Martha were sat on either side of Ten, hugging him tightly around the waist. Jack, who’d sat on the arm of that sofa, leant over to join the hug. River, who was sitting in Eleven’s lap, held him close and gently kissed him, eyes sad and loving. Amy rested her head on his shoulder and Rory squeezed the other supportively. Clara and Bill took Twelve's hands in their own, respecting his dislike of hugs. But, to their surprise, Twelve pulled them straight into a hug. From that proximity, they noticed he was shaking. Graham and Ryan sat on either side of Thirteen, arms wrapped around her shoulders. Yaz sat on the floor on a cushion, between Thirteen’s legs, and gently laid her head on her thigh, reaching up to take her hand in a caring squeeze. Off to the side, Micky and Rose watched, feeling like outsiders. Rose swallowed back a lump in her throat and curled closer to Mickey. Did she really have a place in the Doctor’s life? For once, Micky didn’t comment, only hugging her closer. Everyone waited patiently for the Doctors to continue to speak or stay silent, this was their call. It was their life that could be ruined, it was their pain. When no one said anything, the TV started to play.

**Museum**

**(The Tardis materialises in dimly lit area with carpeting and display cases.)**

The familiar wheezing of the TARDIS made a collective smile pass around the room. Everyone was so on edge but the familiar sound made them calm, as it so often did. And it reminded them that the TARDIS had intervened, the High Council wanted this to be awful, perhaps unbearable, but it couldn’t be all too bad if she’d gotten in to sabotage it.  
“So it really is just... Playing? Like a TV show?” Donna commented in astonishment.  
Ten shared a grin with her “Brilliant!”

**ROSE: So what is it? What's wrong?**   
**DOCTOR: Don't know. Some kind of signal drawing the Tardis off course.**

Mickey snorted “You don’t know. Calls me an idiot all the time but he doesn’t know everything, why would I?”  
“That’s him! That’s the Doctor, my Doctor!” Rose exclaimed excitedly, pointing at the screen.  
Ten dropped his gaze sadly. He’d been so happy to see Rose, seeing her again against all the odds was something that might just have driven the darkness from him. Saved his soul. But... Losing her forever hurt less than that blank look. He’d take tears, hatred, anything but the slightly indifferent blankness of her face when she looked at him. Like he was a stranger. What hurt worse, though, was that he was. At least, that was how she saw him. Donna and Martha exchanged a look, knowing very well how much their Doctor loved the woman. He never shut up about him! They squeezed his shoulders but didn’t say anything, not wanting to intrude on what felt like a private moment.  
“Yes,” said Ten softly, in a subtly dejected voice “That's me. Before... Before I regenerated.” He nodded “That was what I looked like when I met you, Rose Tyler.” The name on his tongue felt like liquid gold. She looked at him when he spoke, as if surprised he was there. It broke his hearts.  
“Um... Yeah.” She said awkwardly. At first he had been upset with him, as if it was his fault her doctor wasn’t there. She knew it was unfair, though. And now, with the way he kept looking at her like a kicked puppy, she felt strangely guilty. It was like that relative who hasn’t seen you for ages and clearly loved you, hugging you and telling you how much they missed you when you didn’t remember a thing.

She shifted uncomfortably, feeling as if she should say something to break the tension “I remember this.” She said finally “This is from my past.” She frowned “It’s creepy, actually. That’s me. That’s I’m. That’s where we were and what we said. How is this even possible?”  
“It's Time Lord tech.” Eleven explained “They can capture moments like this. But... The angles and music, all the formatting things, I think were done by S—” he cut himself off with a blush “By the TARDIS.” He finished, his Ponds chuckling at his slip up.  
“I'm so sorry.” Ten said, head ducked “This... It’s not just my life, is it? It’s all of yours too from the looks of this. I deserve this, they were my crimes. But not you. You all don’t deserve your lives to be put on show without any regard for your feelings or privacy. I-I’m so sorry.”  
Everyone was silent. The Doctor upset was always very alarming to witness.  
“Lighten up.” Twelve said, causing everyone to jump “And that’s coming from me so you know you must be really bad.”  
Thirteen turned so her eyes locked with Ten’s, face soft and warm “It gets better. I promise.”  
Ten nodded but didn’t say anything.

Donna smiled reassuringly “I don’t know about you lot but I’m glad! I’ve always wanted to be a movie star.”  
Jack grinned “Yeah, me too. Though I always thought it’d be... More adult.”  
Martha snorted at that.  
River snickered “Oh, we all know what a lady’s man our dear Doctor is, this might very well be a little 18 rated.” Her words caused an all around blush, though Jack cackled gleefully.  
Rory grimaced “Oh please no...”  
The words were light, silly and friendly, but they made Ten cheer up a little. He really had such amazing friends.

**ROSE: Where are we?**   
**DOCTOR: Earth. Utah, North America. About half a mile underground.**   
**ROSE: And when are we?**   
**DOCTOR: Two thousand and twelve.**

  
Mickey made a face “Really? All of time and space, you said, Rose. I was expecting great things. What’s so interest about America in the near future?”  
Bill's jaw dropped “Near future? Wait... Are you guys from, like, the olden days? No way, that’s wicked! I’m just sitting on the sofa and watching the telly with people from the past! Do you guys have flip phones? Oh my gosh, you haven’t even seem at least the last two Olympics!”  
Clara smiled “And what’s wrong with the present? Or close to present, as it were. It makes it more thrilling! Because it makes it closer to home. An adventure in our backyard!”  
River grinned, starting to like this girl, “And anyway, are you forgetting the ‘half a mile underground' part? That far underground and this place certainly isn’t looking to shabby! My bet is billionaire trying to hide something.”  
Mickey pouted to himself “Yeah well... It’s still America.”  
Jack gasped in mock outrage “What's wrong with America? I’m American!”  
Ten pulled a face “Hm... I’m starting to see your point, Mickey.” He teased.  
“Hey!” Jack exclaimed.  
Rose laughed happily, which made Ten’s heart warm.

**(He looks at a display case.)**   
**ROSE: God, that's so close. So I should be twenty six.**

Rose watched, intrigued, that was a weird thought. Twenty six? Her? When looking at the whole of time and space twenty twelve didn’t seem far at all. When looking at her lifespan, it felt like an age. It made her eyes flick over to Ten, then Eleven then Twelve. Her human life was so short, so... Insignificant. The Doctor was above it all. He aged so slowly and when one body got old and broken, he could simply change his face. How could he...? She almost didn’t dare finish the thought but she couldn’t help herself. How could he ever love someone so small and simple like her?

**(The Doctor finds the light switch, and things become more clear.)**

There were gasps heard around the room as the location was revealed. Some were gasps of wonder at the extravagance of this mysterious underground hideaway. Others were gasps of surprise, that stuff was not from two thousand and twelve! But some were gasps of dread, the gasps of the people who recognised those items. What was this? What type of person could capture all this and present these great big galactic dangers like sights for a leisure seeker’s amusement? They were either really stupid, not knowing what half of this was, or really strong. They couldn’t decide which was more dangerous.

**ROSE: Blimey. It's a great big museum.**   
**DOCTOR: An alien museum. Someone's got a hobby. They must have spent a fortune on this. Chunks of meteorite, moon dust. That's the milometer from the Roswell spaceship.**

Amy shook her head with a frown “Underground alien museum? That doesn’t make sense. Aren’t museums for people to look at?”  
“A private museum.” Eleven explained, judgement clear in his voice “Rather like when someone hunts and hangs the heads of their victims on their wall. Except I highly doubt this collector actually killed these things. Look at this, an average human would be killed in seconds.”  
Rory frowned “You really don’t like this person, do you? Also, hey! Humans are great and you know it.”  
Eleven grinned and nodded “I do, Pond. I’m sorry. Just...” he fiddled with his bowtie “Not too fond of this guy.”

**ROSE: That's a bit of Slitheen! That's a Slitheen's arm. It's been stuffed.**

“Ooh, look at you knowing stuff. You go, tiger.” Jack said with a grin.  
Rose huffed fondly “Oi, I’m too far away, can someone punch him?”  
“Gladly!” Martha exclaimed, punching him in the arm.  
Jack pouted “Ow! Doctooooor. Help, they’re ganging up on me!”  
Ten only smirked and punched him lightly too. Jack gasped and looked affronted.  
Donna wrapped an arm around him “Oh, poor thing. Don’t worry! I’ll look after you, gorgeous!”  
Jack looked slightly worried, Ten buried his face in his hands in defeat.

**DOCTOR: Oh, look at you.**   
**ROSE: What is it?**   
**(The head of a Cyberman.)**

Clara shivered, arms crossed around her chest as if preserving her body heat would stop all the warmth that drained from her emotionally “D-Danny...” she breathed, so soft she was sure no one had heard it. That was, until Twelve pulled her closer to his side.  
“I'm so—” he was cut off.  
“Don't.” Clara said firmly “It... It wasn’t your fault. And,” she let out a humourless laugh “Boy did you try to help me. Thank you.”  
Jack frowned at the screen “That's a Cyberman, right? It looks so... Old.”  
“They upgraded.” Eleven explained “It's what they do. Always changing. Every time I think I know how to defeat them, they change.”  
Jack’s eyes widened “What? You mean they get worse than the ones I’ve encountered?”  
“Yes.” Twelve answered simply.  
Ten kept shooting pained glances at Rose, remembering that awful day he’d lost her for the first time.

**DOCTOR: An old friend of mine. Well, enemy. The stuff of nightmares reduced to an exhibit. I'm getting old.**

Twelve snorted “You think that’s old? You must be having a midlife crisis.”  
Jack snickered “You do realise you’re not only talking to a screen but you’re talking to yourself.”  
Twelve fixed him with an unwavering look “Of course I am. What do you think it’s like in my head? It’s just one big internal argument. It’s so loud it’s a wonder you lot can’t hear it.”  
Clara shook her head, turning the words over in her head “You seem to get friends and enemies mixed up a lot, Doctor.” She said, looking around at the lot of them. “Missy...” she trailed off, eyes distant as she remembered that time.  
Martha nodded, eyes dark and distant “You and the Master...”  
Bill’s eyes went wide “Hold up. You know Missy too?”  
Clara turned to look at her, frowning “Yeah. Why. What did she do to you?”  
Bill raised her hands “No. No... Nothing. She seems...” she shrugged “Alright. I don’t know, she makes me feel like I did when talking to my old French teacher. Like she looked down on me and could, maybe even wants to, hurt me but won’t.”  
“Huh.” Was all Clara could say.

**ROSE: Is that where the signal's coming from?**   
**DOCTOR: No, it's stone dead. The signal's alive. Something's reaching out, calling for help.**

River sighed softly, shaking her head “Oh, my love. You never could stand by when you heard a call for help, could you?” She murmured, kissing the man she was sitting on softly.  
He kissed back tenderly before looking up at her with wide, sad eyes “You know I can’t. How are you so sure that this is bad?”  
River smiled softly, running a hand through that floppy brown hair she loved “Look around at that place. This is a person who has no regard for anything but themself. For something to be strong enough to survive whatever they’re doubtlessly putting it through then it’s a force to be reckoned with. As far as I’ve seen, the strong and the good don’t tend to go hand in hand.” She had a sneaking suspicion of what it was, a hunch like a creeping dread. She didn’t want to say it, in case she was wrong. Or in case she was right. From the dark look in her husband’s eyes she knew she was.

**(The Doctor touches the display case and an alarm goes off. Armed guards rush in from all sides and cut them off from the Tardis.)**

“Yeah, nice one.” Donna said sarcastically, slapping Ten lightly on the shoulder.  
Rose shook her head with a smile, slowly becoming more and more comfortable in this new group of people “He never can resist poking a problem with a pointy stick.”  
Clara raised an eyebrow “What's wrong with that? Best way to find out what you’re up against.”  
“Given that you don’t die first.” Martha retorted dryly with a smile.  
Graham shook his head “Bloomin mad.” He muttered.  
“Who?” Ryan asked, amused.  
Graham waved generally “All of us!”  
“That’s why I love you.” Thirteen said with a great big smile.  
Off to the side, River regarded the mysterious woman with a raised eyebrow. Who the distress signal was from on TV wasn’t the only thing she had a suspicion about. She’d be watching this Doctor Theila closely.

**ROSE: If someone's collecting aliens, that makes you Exhibit A.**

Rose winced as she remembered what they’d done. She hated being right, at least in this situation. She was sure the Doctor had glossed over how bad it was. Or had he been through so much pain that he really hadn’t felt that it was that bad? She didn’t know which was worse. Mickey didn’t now what was wrong but he hugged her closer, wanting to show her he was there. He’d always be there. Even if she preferred gallivanting around space with a madman alien he’d be waiting back home to hear the tell tale sign, there for her the moment he needed her. Though, with every passing day he was starring to wonder more if she ever needed him actually.

Amy winced “It’s a good point. Alien museum...”  
Rory frowned “He's safe though, right? Museums aren’t for the living.”  
“I don’t think that means he’s safe, stupid face.” She kissed his cheek.  
Rory frowned before his eyes widened “You don’t think they’d...?”  
River hummed softly “In any case, you’re lucky they’re only humans, sweetie. They’d only be interested because you are alien. Someone who knew you were a Time Lord, the last of, would be far more dangerous.”  
“Only human?” Donna picked up “You say that like you’re not one of us.”  
River only smiled “Spoilers.” She said with a wink.

Yaz's mind, however, was far away. Last of the Time Lords? Was that what she said? Her eyes flickered to Thirteen. Why hadn’t she said anything? Well... She had said that her family was gone. Yaz felt a wave of sadness crash over her. Thirteen seemed to pick up on her distress and looked down with a smile, though her eyes were concerned. Yaz smiled back from her place on the floor, squeezing her calf in a hug before resting her head against Thirteen’s thigh. She may be the last but she wasn’t alone. She had them now. Yaz felt a hesitant hand run through her hair.

**[Intro]**

Everyone stared in wonder at the sight of the time vortex. Even the Doctors, who had looked as a child, watched in wonder. It was not a sight you got to see very often.  
“Is that...” Martha looked at Jack “Is that the time vortex?”  
He shook his head “Yeah. But I didn’t actually see it when I was on the outside of the TARDIS. It was hard enough to simply hold on, looking into the time vortex directly... I know I’m immortal but that would be pushing it.”  
Donna’s eyes went wide, staring at him “Hold on a moment. Immortal?”

River frowned “You... Travelled on the TARDIS... On the outside?” her eyes were bright and mischievous, looking at Eleven hopefully.  
Eleven’s eyes went wide “No! No. Absolutely not, River. No.”  
“Since when did I need your permission for anything?” she murmured against his lips.  
“No!” he repeated again hysterically “It'd kill you! My TARDIS. My wife. Doesn’t what I have to say get heard at least a bit.”  
She grinned “I love it when you’re posessive.”  
Beside them, Rory gagged, Amy chuckled, though she averted her eyes.  
Bill grinned and nudged Twelve with her elbow “She's cute.” She whispered in approval.  
Twelve smiled distantly “I loved her.” He still did.

Bill chuckled “No wonder it’s so rough in the TARDIS, look how much it’s flipping around! I’m surprised it’s not even more rough looking at that!”  
Twelve smiled “Thank you, Bill. Nice to know someone appreciates my flight skills. It’s hard work you know.”  
River shook her head with a fond grin “You're utter rubbish at flying the old girl and you know it!” She turned to Bill “It’s not supposed to be bumpy at all, despite all the spinning.”  
All four Doctors pouted. The perk of traveling with humans was they assumed it was the TARDIS not him. Now they were being called out! River looked over to the blonde with a frown. It was as she’d suspected, she too was pouting indignantly. Just like the Doctors.

**[episode title] DALEK**

There was a collective gasp across the room. The Doctors all grimaced or averted their eyes. They all knew very well what this was, what’d happened. The reminder didn’t burn any less though. The word: Dalek. It cut into their very souls. Seeing it like that, in big writing across the screen, was awful. Their skin crawled until only moments later the word was removed. Still, too long.

The companions who knew what Daleks were were all worried, eyes wide with fear. Dalek? That meant only one, right? But even then... They’d seen how much damage a single Dalek could do. It was sickening. Dread crept along their spines like trickling blood. River sighed. She was right, then. But she hated that, just this once. Rose was particularly shaken, burying her face against Mickey’s chest. She’d just come from the centre of an armada of Daleks. The Doctor was dying... Well, she had evidence before her very eyes that he survived. But time could be rewritten. Would he die? Would he change? She didn’t know which was worse.

The companions who didn’t know about Daleks were equally as frightened. If after all the Doctor had seen in his (or her) long life and this was the one thing that made him look the most distraught then in must be really truly awful. In some ways, the not knowing was even more scary.

Yaz, Graham and Ryan all shared a look. Looking around the room, they appeared to be the only couch of people who didn’t have at least one of them that knew what a Dalek was. Bar the Doctor, of course. Her eyes were down, breathing a little too loud with a hint of jaggedness. It wasn’t a panic attack but there was definite panic there, and that darkness that they’d all glimpsed. Whenever someone died, whenever someone broke her expectations, you could see it flickering in her eyes but now it glowed bright and plain for all to see. The other Doctors didn’t look any better off. Yaz looked up to the other two for help only to find them all looking right back at her. She sighed and shook her head before turning her attention to Thirteen.  
“Doctor...?” she called softly, on her knees now so she could look at her better.  
Thirteen shook her head, burying her face in her hands for a moment before emerging with a blank face. She pointedly didn’t look at anyone.

**[Corridor]**   
**TANNOY: Attention all personnel. Bad Wolf One descending. Bad Wolf One descending.**

Rose’s eyes rise to stare at the screen. Bad Wolf? They’d seen that, heard that, over and over again. It had been here too? It had been back on the satellite too, on the wall. The Bad Wolf Corporation. What did it mean? What the hell did it mean! She felt... She felt like something was calling to her, like she was supposed to know. Supposed to be able to figure it out but she couldn’t.  
Mickey laughed, pointing “Hey! That’s the same thing that’s on all that graffiti outside. What a coincidence. Do you think it’s a political thing? Eh, Rose? Rose?”  
But Rose was no longer listening. Bad Wolf in the graffiti back at her own home? It was everywhere. It was following her. A warning? A threat? That didn’t feel right. It was like... A call. It felt like a connection to the Doctor! Bad Wolf here... Bad Wolf there... She could not just give up on him! There had to be a way to get back. There had to!  
  
**(A helicopter has landed. Four armed guards line the corridor as a man and his aides stride out of a doorway.)**

“Are they all here because of you, Doctor?” Bill asked the men, wide eye.  
Twelve shook his head “I doubt it. Man like that would travel with armed guards all the time. And if I owned a great big secret alien museum I’d want to sit on that nest as often as I could too. Admire my collection. Seems a bit obsessive compulsive to me.”  
“Gives me more of a magpie impression.” Bill mused. “Still, you sure know how to pick your enemies, Doctor. All those armed guards and four more added.”

Amy made a face at the screen “I don’t like the look of this guy.”  
“I do.” River said with a cheeky smile “You wouldn’t imagine all the good stuff I manage to... commandeer off them. Shallow, arrogant, patronising, loves a pretty face... rich, important.”  
Eleven looked at her with a mix of fondness and chiding “Oi. What’d I say?”  
“If I’m going to bed idiot men for commercial gain let you join in?” she asked with wide innocent eyes and a faux sweet look.  
Eleven blushed bright red “I... That’s not... I didn’t...! I never...” he looked between the crowd and his wife.  
River chuckled gleefully before kissing him into silence.

**POLKOWSKI: On behalf of all of us, I want to wish you a very happy birthday, sir. And the President called to convey his personal best wishes.**

“President? He must really be important then.” Martha commented, mildly impressed.  
Bill snorted “Not if it was in my time.”  
Twelve huffed “President of America? Talk to me when it’s President of the planet.”  
Mickey frowned “There's no such thing.”  
Twelve raised an eyebrow “Or is there?”  
Graham rolled his eyes “Bloody hell, it’s like the Banksy thing all over again!”  
Thirteen grinned and winked.

**VAN STATTEN: The President is ten points down. I want him replaced.**

“Yeah, I don’t think I like him.” Bill said finally.  
Rose shook her head with a sigh “He's only gonna get worse.”  
“Lovely.” Rory commented dryly.

**POLKOWSKI: I don't think that's very wise, sir.**

“Good man.” Jack said with a grin “I like him. Takes a man with guts to stand up to someone like that, even when they’re blatantly being a dick.  
“Especially when they’re blatantly being a dick.” Amy added with a grin.

**VAN STATTEN: Thank you so much for your opinion. You're fired. Get rid of him.**

River sighed, shaking her head sadly “That's what happens to good people.”  
Martha frowned “Not all good people. Has it ever happened to you?” she asked, to make her point.  
River only looked at her “Oh honey... I’m not good people.”  
Eleven pursed his lips and nodded in agreement. Martha looked over at her apprehensively.

**POLKOWSKI: What?**   
**(An armed guard drags Polkowski away.)**

Everyone was sad to see him go.  
Rory shook his head “He didn’t deserve that. This place look good, I bet it paid well. And it looks like it’ll come with a lot of paperwork on secrecy.”  
Eleven looked sadly at the screen “I don’t think unemployment is going to be his biggest worry, Rory...” he murmured darkly, though he wished he was wrong. Van Statten didn’t even have an ounce of decency, though, so he highly doubted that he was wrong.

**VAN STATTEN: Wipe his memory, put him on the road someplace. Memphis, Minneapolis. Somewhere beginning with M.**

Clara shook her head “That's sick! He’ll probably become homeless, maybe die of starvation or exposure. Look... He looks like a really smart guy too.”  
Mickey frowned “He probably had a family. People who’ll most likely never know. Think he ditched. Or worse.” his eyes travelled to Rose. The memory of when she’d gone missing was still too fresh in his mind.  
Rose felt the gaze and shifted guiltily. She’d never really thought of what her family might think when she ran off. She looked at this room of people. They were all like her, apparently. Did they think about it? What did they tell their families? What do their families think about it? She frowned. Did they even have families?  
Bill’s eyes were wide with horror “It's awful! Look, he doesn’t even care at all!”

**(A woman runs up to take Polkowski's place.)**

Amy frowned worriedly “Didn't she just see what happened to the other guy? She should run!”  
Jack frowned, shaking his head “She saw it and took it in her stride. I don’t know whether to like her or not. I guess career progress moves fast around there. Lots of empty spaces to fill.” He murmured darkly.  
Amy’s eyes widened as she looked at the new woman. She seemed unfazed by the awful fate of her predecessor but that didn’t mean that Amy wanted to see her befall the same thing.

**VAN STATTEN: So, the next President. What do you think? Republican or Democrat?**

Martha sighed “If she answers wrong we’re going to see another one go.”  
Donna grimaced, throwing her hands up “It's just... It's so frustrating! Watching it all happen and there’s nothing we can do!”  
Ten turned to look at her “Never watched the telly before?”  
She frowned “Yeah but... This is different, it was real!”  
“Documentaries.” He pointed out.  
She pulled a face “I just... I wish there was something I could do!”  
“I was there.” Rose murmured in a small voice, looking at her hands “I could have done something.”  
Ten shot her a sad look “No you couldn’t. We were being cornered by men with guns, remember? And anyway, I was there too. Do you blame me for it?”  
Her eyes went wide “No! Of course not!”  
He raised an eyebrow “Then don’t blame yourself.” He sighed heavily “You and I both know that there’ll be a lot we wish we could change. I-I'm sorry. This was designed to hurt me, not you.”  
  
**GODDARD: Democrat, sir.**

They all held their breath.

**VAN STATTEN: For what reason?**

River shook her head with a sigh “He's testing her on purpose. If he likes her, which is a slim possibility, then she could be on track to being very powerful. But if he doesn’t...” she didn’t want to complete the sentence. A look at the faces around the room said they already knew.

**GODDARD: They're just so funny, sir?**

Jack let out a clipped laugh “Okay, maybe I do like her.”  
Everyone held their breath as they waited to see what’d become of rhe girl.

**(Van Statten stops.)**

“Oh God, oh God, we’re going to watch her die!” Mickey exclaimed in horror, pulling Rose closer as if to hide behind her.  
Rose managed a small smile, deciding not to put him out of his misery by admitting that she survives.

**VAN STATTEN: What is your name?**   
**GODDARD: Goddard, sir. Diana Goddard.**

“She seems self confident enough.” Bill commented.  
Yaz shook her head “She looks scared.”  
“She has that look.” Clara insisted “The power crazed look people with ambition get when they see an opportunity.”  
Twelve shook his head “You humans and your ambition. What’s wrong with living the ‘simple' life?”  
Eleven smiled softly “A normal, human life. I wish I could have that.”  
“You can have mine.” Ryan offered, earning a smile from Eleven.

**VAN STATTEN: I like you, Diana Goddard. So, where's the English kid?**

There was a collective sigh of relief. She would be okay! At least for the time being.

“Ugh, I hate his tone! I just want to reach in there and slap him!” Amy exclaimed.  
“I’ll join you.” Clara agreed.  
“Sounds like fun! Me too.” River agreed.  
Donna grinned “Yeah. Girls day out, slap a bitch.”  
Eleven’s eyes were wide with fear “Is it just me or do you feel like you’re in danger?” he whispered to the other Doctors, who couldn’t help but agree.  
“At least it’s not the mothers.” Ten pointed out, rubbing his cheek empathetically.  
Eleven’s eyes went to Amy “Well... Only the one.”  
Thirteen subtly watched from the distance, wanting to join in but having far too much fun with her cover story to give it up now. She had to make it through at least an episode!

**ADAM: Sir! Sir! I bought ten more artefacts at auction, Mister Van Statten.**

Graham shook his head with a frown “Where’s he getting this stuff? Auction? There are some people who still don’t believe in aliens and here we have alien artefacts in auctions?”  
“Special auctions.” Thirteen explained “For the rich and the powerful. People like me or UNIT try to get their hands on this stuff first but...” she shook her head.  
Ten frowned “Hold up. How can some people still not believe in aliens? Around about you lots time the Earth is getting invaded left right and centre!”  
Graham shrugged “Not in Sheffield!”  
“Not usually.” Ryan corrected.  
Ten shook his head, as if he’d given up “Blimey. He’s almost as bad as you.” He said playfully, nudging Donna.  
“Oi, you.” She nudged right back.

**VAN STATTEN: Bring 'em on, let me see 'em.**

Jack frowned “I guess my lot have to keep a better eye on these things.” He said, clicking his tongue.  
Ten hummed in agreement “Don't want this getting into the wrong hands. That,” he pointed at the screen “Is the wrong hands.”  
“Not the worst hands, though.” Thirteen said consideringly.  
Jack was frowning at Ten. The Doctor he had just left would have gotten all upset over the mere mention of Torchwood. How much time had passed for this man? How much had changed? His eyes looked darker, he hadn’t even known it was possible to get darker than the Doctor’s normal eyes.

**GODDARD: Sir, with respect, there's something more urgent. We arrested two intruders fifty three floors down. We don't know how they got in.**

“There we are. Attentions back on you, eh Doctor?” Clara said, playfully shaking Twelve’s shoulder and grinning at the others.  
“Isn't it always?” Rose giggled.  
Rory and Mickey had a similar look on their face, the words were very true.

**VAN STATTEN: I'll tell you how they got in. In-tru-da window. In-tru-da window. That was funny!**   
**(Obedient laughter.)**

“Do you know who he reminds me of?” Thirteen cut in “He reminds me of Lord Farquaad.” She said with a grin “Y'know. In the first movie. When he’s holding those signs? Like... That say to laugh.”  
Yaz patted her knee fondly.

**VAN STATTEN: Bring 'em in. Let's see 'em. And tell Simmons I want to visit my little pet. Get to it!**

Martha’s eyes were wide “Pet! That means it’s alive, right? It must be the thing that gave out the distress signal!” she grimaced “He's keeping it as a pet?” it sounded so degrading. Her mind went to the year that never was, the Doctor tormented and kept as the Master’s personal pet.  
River shook her head “I don’t think you should feel sorry.”  
Rose wrapped her arms around herself, feeling conflicted. She’d seen Daleks now. Proper Daleks in action. They were... Terrifying. Repulsive. She could see why the Doctor hated them so much but... At the same time, she did feel sorry. This Dalek was different. Broken, maybe. An abomination, possibly. But it felt. It really truly felt. In the end... It had been merciful. The least it deserved was their empathy now.

**(Van Statten goes through a doorway. Goddard steps aside to use her headset.)**   
**GODDARD: Simmons? You'd better give me good news. Is it talking?**

Ryan frowned “Okay, maybe I’ve watched too much TV but when people are trying to make something talk, that’s never very pleasant.”  
“No,” Thirteen agreed “It isn’t.”

She too was conflicted. She was a Time Lord. Time Lords hated Daleks. It was as simple as that. But... Did anything truly deserve to be tortured? If anything in the universe did it was a Dalek. But did it? Her two most primary beliefs: Dalek = bad and torture = bad. A Dalek torturing someone? That was extra bad. Torturing a Dalek? That was... Disturbing. Because it was unnatural for a Dalek to be reduced for that. Because the sheer power it required to do that was terrifying. Because a small part of her empathised with a Dalek. Because a not so small part of her was satisfied seeing it in pain. She hung her head. Peaking up, the other Doctors seemed to be in similar states of turmoil. This... This was an example of one of the times when her hatred for Daleks shone through. She didn’t want these people to see it. The High Council was right. They’d known very well what they were doing. Gather the people she most couldn’t live without. Strip her bare and expose how ugly she was inside. Leave her to suffer in the anguish of losing the love and respect of the people she cared about the most. She didn’t think her hearts could take it.

**[Cage]**   
**(Something with blue vision is watching a man wearing a protective suit wielding a chainsaw on itself.)**

If they hadn’t been sure before, that was conclusive evidence of just what this ‘pet' was.  
Jack shook his head in disbelief “He's an idiot. He’s killing himself, this is suicide! Who could so that to a Dalek and live?” At that the Doctors dipped their heads in shame.

**SIMMONS: Not exactly talking, no.**

Mickey frowned “Do you think it’s even alive still?”  
“They wouldn’t bother ‘questioning’ if it was dead.” Martha murmured, though her mind was full of the horrors of her own run in with the Daleks.  
Jack pressed his lips together “Daleks are smart. They could pretend. How could you be so sure if it’s dead?”  
“But these idiots clearly don’t know what they’re dealing with.” River pointed out.  
“I don’t think they’d have any reserves for electrocuting a corpse.” Ten said darkly.

**[Corridor]**   
**GODDARD: Then what's it doing?**   
**[Cage]**   
**SIMMONS: Screaming. Is that any good?**

There was all around emotional turmoil in the room. Some were horrified at hearing those awful tortured screams. Some were conflicted between feeling pity or feeling satisfied. Some felt blatantly satisfied and that scared them.

Yaz shook her head sadly “That's awful!”  
Thirteen’s teeth were gritted, she was staring darkly at the screen “It deserves it.” She breathed.  
Yaz's eyes were wide. She looked at her, startled. She looked around the room but that only served to surprise her more, almost every single person held the same hatred in their eyes. Everyone who didn’t looked confused like her.

**[Office]**   
**(Adam is showing his boss the latest purchases.)**

“We really need to get to these things before crazies like this guy do.” Jack said with a sigh.  
“How much damage cab they do?” asked Mickey “They clearly don’t know what half of this junk is.”  
“Sometimes that makes people all the more dangerous.” Clara pointed out.

**ADAM: And this is the last. Paid eight hundred thousand dollars for it.**

Donna let out an appreciative whistle “I’m in the wrong business.” She turned to Ten “Never mind showing me the universe, space boy. Give me alien junk so I can make me millions!” She joked.  
Ten smiled fondly. As much as she joked, he knew she wouldn’t. The people he travelled with were the very best, far better than he could ever hope to be. It was proof how very good they were that they were able to balance out the darkness within him. He needed them. Ten looked around at the roomful of companions. He needed them all, he saw what he was like alone. Everyone said he mustn’t be left alone but now he’d finally seen it for himself. He swallowed hard, hand going to the gun he’d hidden away in his inside pocket. When he was alone he did bad, bad things.

**(The Doctor, Rose and Goddard enter.)**   
**VAN STATTEN: What does it do?**

The Doctors all looked amused, an arrogant smugness on their faces that they knew and he didn’t. They all reacted in their respective ways. Snorting, letting out a ‘hah’, simply making a face.  
Rory shook his head incredulously “You are so smug.”  
Eleven looked a bit sheepish “Yeah, well... It’s not like you like him either. I’m only smug because he was being all ‘I know all'.”  
Clara shot a fond smile over to him “You're always smug.”  
  
**ADAM: Well, you see the tubes on the side? It must be to channel something. I think maybe fuel.**

Ten shook his head incredulously, a smirk on his face though he didn’t say anything.  
Rose sighed “He's trying his best!”  
Ten raised his arms “Sorry. I’ll try to stop teasing your little boyfriend.”  
Rose didn’t know whether to pout or smile “You really are him, aren’t you?”  
Ten couldn’t stop the grin that broke across his face at that.  
  
**DOCTOR: I really wouldn't hold it like that.**

“And there he is! Proving he’s smarter.” Donna said with a fond smile.  
Ten and Eleven blushed a soft pink.  
“Would you rather I let him continue being wrong?” Ten asked with a pout.  
“So, you just assume they’ll not get it right on their own?” Bill asked with a raised eyebrow.  
Ten’s mouth opened and shut a few times.  
Eleven shrugged “Yes.”  
Bill shrugged and nodded “Honestly, probably.” She said with an easy smile.

**GODDARD: Shut it.**

“Rude.” Twelve muttered.  
Clara chuckled, shaking her head “You’re one to talk!”  
“Thank you.” He replied.

**DOCTOR: Really, though, that's wrong.**

“I think you’ve said, Doc.” Graham said with a slightly amused smile.  
“Well, it is!” Eleven exclaimed “And no one seems to want to listen to me.” He pouted sulkily.  
“There, there, lover.” River cooed, wrapping her arms around him. He smiled and curled closer.

**ADAM: Is it dangerous?**

The Doctors snorted in amusement at that, though a look from their respective companions dissuaded them from saying anything. All except Thirteen, who was shielded by the wrath of most people in the room.

Thirteen shook her head with a frown “All these humans. You see everything as a threat!”  
River looked over suspiciously but she wasn’t the one to say anything.  
Bill looked over curiously “You’re an alien?”  
“Yeah. Got a problem with that?” she asked, though she knew very well Bill didn’t “Though, from I’m sitting you’re the aliens! How do you think I feel all outnumbered like that?”  
Bill shook her head “No problem, not at all.” She insisted.  
“So what are you then?” Rory asked curiously.  
Amy frowned at him, slapping his arm “Don't be rude!”  
Rory pouted and rubbed his arm “I was just asking...”  
“You could have at least said ‘where are you from?’, not ‘what are you?’” Amy insisted.  
Thirteen smiled and shook her head “It’s okay. I’m... Vulcan.”  
Jack nodded seriously, which caused Rose to burst into laughter.  
Ten winked at her, mouthing ‘Mr Spock'. She smiled softly, distantly. He even had the memories of her own Doctor.

**DOCTOR: No, it just looks silly.**

Martha smiled “Sounds like someone we know. Not dangerous, just looks silly.”  
Several companions laughed good-naturedly.  
Eleven looked up confusedly “And who’s that then?”  
Martha blinked in surprise “...You.”  
His eyes widened “Me? ME?” He huffed, straightening his bowtie “I don’t look silly. When am I ever silly?” He said with a childish pout, though he knew he was being childish and silly on purpose, his thoughts were very different. He was dangerous alright. Perhaps he was silly sometimes, but he was certainly dangerous. More than these humans knew. He’d like to keep it that way.

**(The Doctor reaches for the item, and firing bolts click all around him.)**

Many cried out, eyes wide with worry.  
“That seems to be happening a lot.” Clara said dryly.  
“But, of course.” Twelve said with an enthused grin.  
Mickey looked at Rose with a worried frown, especially when she too looked excited by the idea. He wanted to say something, convince her to stay somehow. But he knew she would never listen, she had made her choice. He dipped his head. He had Jackie, he supposed. But... Was there really anything for him in life now Rose was gone?

  
**(Van Statten hands him the curved, palm sized object.)**

“That was unexpectedly decent of him.” Ryan noted in surprise.  
Ten shook his head “He has nothing to lose. If I try something I’ll have holes through me like a pin cushion.”  
Clara rolled her eyes “Don't be dramatic, you'd regenerate.”  
“I said ‘holes through me' not dead.” Ten said, wiggling his eyebrows.  
Jack snickered “The more the merrier, I say.”  
Amy scrunched up his nose “Gross! On so many levels.”

**DOCTOR: You just need to be**   
**(The Doctor strokes the artefact and it makes a note.)**   
**DOCTOR: Delicate.**

“That’s sweet.” Martha said with a smile “Like... Music is the opposite to war, and you have to be gentle.”  
“Sounds frustrating. All the times I threw my flute across the room when I was learning.” Donna added.  
“Why am I not surprised?” Ten commented with a grin.  
“Oi!” she exclaimed, slapping his arm.  
Twelve sniffed “I prefer the rock guitar.”

**(He plays several different notes.)**

Yaz smiles “That's beautiful!”  
Thirteen grinned down at her, legs tightening in an attempted armless hug. Yaz chuckled happily, appreciating the action even if it was a little awkward. She wrapped an arm around each of Thirteen’s calves, resting her head on a leg.  
“You still comfortable down there? If we shuffle around, I’m sure there’d be space for you. Or you could sit on my lap.” Thirteen suggested.  
Yaz shook her head “I’m alright, it's comfy. I might take you up on that offer after a while, though.”  
Thirteen felt a strange flutter in her heart. She frowned, looking around. Was that a heart palpitation? Were they being gassed?  
  
**VAN STATTEN: It's a musical instrument**.

“Is it just me or does he sound unimpressed?” Rory asked.  
Clara pressed her lips together “Yeah... It’s like he’s annoyed at spending that much on something so ‘useless’ but also amused that aliens have culture too.”  
“Oi! I’ll have you know that Vulcans have excellent culture.” Thirteen said to the TV, sounding offended.  
Everyone chuckled at the mysterious woman’s antics.

**DOCTOR: And it's a long way from home.**

The Doctors nodded, eyes distant as they recalled the planet it was from. River smiled in recognition too, her husband had taken her on one of their many dates.

**VAN STATTEN: Here, let me.**   
**(Van Statten's touch is harsher. Not nice sounds are produced.)**

Mickey winced and shielded his ears “Bloody hell!”  
Amy smirked “I'd bet that he won’t like not being able to do it as well as someone else.”  
“Reminds me of the violin I had when I was little.” Clara commented “It’d make a right racket when you were rough with it.”  
Jack snickered “I know some other people who make a racket when you’re rough with them, if you know what I’m...” he was cut off by a pillow thrown at his face. Donna batted her eyelashes innocently.

**DOCTOR: I did say delicate. It reacts to the smallest fingerprint. It needs precision.**

“That's what he sai—” he was cut off by lots of pillows.  
Bill snickered “Now I’m shipping you and the Doctor.”  
Twelve looked mortified.  
River grinned at Eleven, kissing his nose “I give you permission. Three of us, it’ll be fun!”  
Eleven looked between Jack and River, terrified.

  
**(Van Statten finally gets the hang of it.)**

“Damn it, he’s actually good. I want him to be rubbish so it’s easier to hate him.” Ryan said with a pout.  
Ten signed “The successful are skilled, as much as it’s painful to say. Even if they’re horrible people. You don’t build an empire like that up from nothing.”

**DOCTOR: Very good. Quite the expert.**

Mickey’s eyes widened “Hey! Why are you already more nice to the psycho business guy than you are to me?”  
“He is pretty good for a beginner.” Eleven pointed out.  
“Yeah.” Twelve said dryly “That and he’s pointing guns at me.”  
Clara shook her head “Don't lie. I’ve seen you. If anything, you would piss off the people with the guns even more.”  
Twelve grinned unashamedly.

**VAN STATTEN: As are you.**

“Uh oh.” River murmured “Lover, what have I told you about giving yourself away to dangerous powerful people who want to put you in cages?”  
Eleven pouted “To not do it...”

**(Van Statton casually tosses it aside, onto the floor.)**

“Bastard.” Graham muttered.  
Bill made a face “How can someone be so disrespectful?”  
“I’m hating this guy more and more the more I see.” Martha agreed with a glare at the screen.  
Twelve looked around the room, though his eyes were distant. So far, people hated Van Statten, not him. He’d be relieved except he knew what was coming. It was a good few thousand years ago but he could remember. After all, in the grand scheme of time, a thousand years was nothing.

**VAN STATTEN: Who exactly are you?**

“Oh no...” Yaz breathed, her hold on Thirteen’s legs tightening. She didn’t want to watch the Doctor get captured and studied like some lab rat. She was so secretive. She wouldn’t speak and that meant she’d be tortured just like whatever was in that cage! Surely, since he looked human Van Statten wouldn’t do it? Being able to see the too familiar body signs of pain would be harder than a metal box screaming, right? But this man was some sort of sociopath. He dumped people on the street, mind wiped, with no remorse. He might even enjoy watching his pain.

**DOCTOR: I'm the Doctor. And who are you?**

“Oh Sweetie, powerful men like that don’t like being told you don’t know.” River sighed.  
Eleven looked up at her “I know.”  
Graham chuckled “Oh, that reminds me of when our Doctor met this rich American chap. Sh— he didn’t know who he was and when the guy said he was famous he asked if he was Ed Sheeran!”  
Everyone laughed kind heartedly, looking at their corresponding Doctor with fond smiles. The Doctors, in turn, blushed softly.  
Bill snickered “I think I need to educate you better.” She aid to Twelve.  
He huffed “That’s preposterous. I will be the only one educating anyone here, I am your professor. I refuse to fill my brain with Earth teen trivia.  
Bill pouted “What's wrong with Earth teen trivia?”  
Twelve pulled a face “What isn’t?”  
“Fair dos.” Bill conceded.

**VAN STATTEN: Like you don't know. We're hidden away with the most valuable collection of extra-terrestrial artefacts in the world, and you just stumbled in by mistake.**

“It does sound like me.” Eleven pointed out, hands flapping in the air.  
“He has a point though, Doc.” Jack added “It’d seem to anyone else like you came in here with lots of planning and effort. To spy, steal, get a scoop on this place... Who knows.”  
Ten shrugged “What’s life without a bit of fun? It wouldn’t feel right if there weren’t people accusing me for various things I didn’t do. People just love blaming me.”  
“It's that face,” Rose said with a grin “So blameable.”  
Eleven huffed a laugh “Oh, it’s more than just that face, I assure you.”  
Rose curled up against Mickey again, still thoroughly freaked out by the face changing thing. It wasn’t fair! Why wasn’t her Doctor there? She looked at the couch of four. What was it? Graham, Yaz, Theila and Ryan... They didn’t have a Doctor with them and they weren’t complaining so she should probably suck it up.

**DOCTOR: Pretty much sums me up, yeah.**

“Told you! “ Eleven declared happily.  
River kissed his cheek “Yes, Darling.” She patted his head. Eleven frowned. He didn’t know whether to feel happy or insulted!  
Martha shook her head “You didn’t come there completely by accident, though, did you? You were following the distress signal.”  
“He doesn’t need to know that.” Twelve pointed out “The less he knows the better.”

**VAN STATTEN: The question is, how did you get in? Fifty three floors down, with your little cat burglar accomplice. You're quite a collector yourself, she's rather pretty.**

All the Doctors frowned at the way he was talking about Rose. How dare he?  
“Fuck off.” Twelve breathed.  
“More than ‘rather’, but she’s so very smart too.” Eleven pouted.  
Ten sniffed “No collector would ever be able to afford her.”  
Rose shifted uncomfortably on her seat, taken aback by the sudden support. From all three Doctors! It was so strange, it was a man she knew so very well but a stranger’s face stared back at her. Across the room, Thirteen was pouting. She wanted to defend Rose too! But if it was just Doctors talking, she would look suspicious.

  
**ROSE: She's going to smack you if you keep calling her she.**

Jack grinned widely “That’s our Rose!”  
“I like her.” River whispered to Eleven.  
Donna smiled kindly “Yeah, that’s right, darling. You tell ‘em!”  
Ten grinned brightly at her, eyes full of admiration.  
Rose blushed softly, curling closer to Mickey but smiling.

**VAN STATTEN: She's English too! Hey, little Lord Fauntleroy. Got you a girlfriend.**

Bill crossed her arms “Argh! He’s so annoying.”  
“Yeah, how can one man just keep being so... detestable!” Clara exclaimed.  
Twelve glared at the floor “Rose deserves far more than a critical-stage-pudding-brain as a boyfriend.”

**ADAM: This is Mister Henry Van Statten.**

“Oh, that totally clears it up. Thanks.” Amy said dryly.  
Yaz shook her head “I don’t understand how someone can just assume everyone knows them like that. You’d have to have such a big ego.”  
“I've been told I have the biggest ego in the universe and even I don’t do that.” Twelve commented.  
Ten pursed his lips “I knew someone who would always introduce herself. Even when she was Prime Minister!” his smile was sad. He would never regret what he did to Harriet Jones, what she’d done was wrong. But he was regretful that it had come to that at all.

**ROSE: And who's he when he's at home?**

“You're so rude, I love it!” Donna said with a grin.  
Martha smiled and nodded “Yeah, you put him in his place!”  
Rose smiled at the two girls. At first she’d felt incredibly threatened by them, they seemed like her replacements. But now she was starting to see they were actually very nice. It seemed reasonless of her to hold some strange grudge.

**ADAM: Mister Van Statten owns the internet.**

Rory frowned “I'm sorry, what?”  
“Yeah, no one owns the internet!” Amy agreed, patting her fiancé’s knee.  
River pursed her lips “Oh, I wouldn’t be too sure.”  
Mickey looked affronted “What!”  
“Worried about your web history?” Rose snickered.  
Twelve smiled smugly “I don’t need to. Sonic glasses, protects it all.”  
“Okay, now I’m so curious!” Bill exclaimed.

**ROSE: Don't be stupid. No one owns the internet.**   
**VAN STATTEN: And let's just keep the whole world thinking that way, right kids?**

Jack huffed “He looks like he gets off on the world not knowing stuff that he does.”  
“Why is it always the psycho ones in power?” Martha murmured, eyes distant as she though of the Master.  
Ten dipped his head guiltily. That situation was all on him. He’d fixed the rocket to ‘Utopia’. He’d locked the TARDIS to the end of the universe and Martha’s home. He’d destroyed Gallifrey, causing the Master to go on one of his psychotic rampages in grief. He was the one the Master wanted to hurt, not them. And most of all he was guilty because he’d never hate the Master, no matter what he did to the people he loved. He loved the Master.

**DOCTOR: So you're just about an expert in everything except the things in your museum. Anything you don't understand, you lock up.**

“How very human.” Twelve muttered, earning a slap from Clara.  
“Rude!” she chided.

**VAN STATTEN: And you claim greater knowledge?**

“Um... Yes.” Ten added. “Sorry.” Though, he didn’t sound sorry at all. In fact, he sounded incredibly smug.  
Mickey shook his head “They're right, you are smug.”  
“Oh yes!” Ten agreed shamelessly.

**DOCTOR: I don't need to make claims, I know how good I am.**

“So very smug!” Rose chuckled, shaking her head incredulously.  
Eleven shrugged “Only when someone is really annoying. Don’t you all just want to prove him wrong?”  
Ryan nodded consideringly “Touché.”

**VAN STATTEN: And yet, I captured you. Right next to the Cage. What were you doing down there?**

“He has a point, Doctor.” Clara pointed out “You always say you know so much but you’re always captured!”  
Twelve looked at her slightly wounded “It's by design! Sneak around all you want, there’s no better way to find out what’s going on than when you’re captured.” He insisted.

“Oh, that’s just like you, Doctor. Accidently wind up right next to their most guarded, secret possession!” Donna exclaimed, voice somewhere between exasperated and fond.  
“What even is the Cage?” Yaz asked with a confused frown.  
Thirteen pursed her lips “Well... I’d say there’s something alive. Alive and dangerous. You don’t put dead or inanimate objects in cages. And if they’re looking for something alive that sent the distress signal, I think we just found its location.” She quoted her own thoughts of the time. She had to pretend that she didn’t know, she wasn’t supposed to know.  
Ten gave her an impressed look “Very astute, Theila.”  
Graham chuckled and whispered so only their couch could hear “It’s just like you, Doc. The only person who impresses you is yourself.”  
Thirteen stuck her tongue out but couldn’t bite back a smile.

**DOCTOR: You tell me.**

“Power move?” Jack questioned.  
Eleven shook his head “I don’t want to show my cards, do I? Besides, people talk more when they think you know it already.”  
Clara smirked “I used the same trick on the Sheriff of Nottingham.”  
Bill’s eyes bugged “What! I’m sorry, what?”  
Clara grinned in response “Maybe if we’re lucky, we’ll get to see it.”  
Twelve rolled his eyes “Oh, please no. No banter, no laughter, no stupid smiling I beg you.”  
“That’s a bit cynical.” Eleven said with a pout.  
Twelve shook his head “You wouldn’t like him either.”  
Eleven frowned “The Sheriff of Nottingham?”  
“Robbin hood.” Twelve corrected.

 **VAN STATTEN: The cage contains my one living specimen**.

“I said so, didn’t I?” Thirteen said with a grin.  
Ryan rolled his eyes “Yeah, but you know what happens.” He whisperers.  
“Give me some credit!” she whispered back with a pout “This was over a thousand years ago for me.”  
“Blimey, Doc!” Graham exclaimed, though he kept his voice hushed.  
  
**DOCTOR: And what's that?**  
 **VAN STATTEN: Like you don't know.**

“See!” Ten exclaimed “Someone will tell you anything if they think you already know. It's like... Heh, it’s like when you’re kids and you pretend to know something and then the other person says ‘then tell me' and you say ‘then tell me' and they say ‘no’ and you say ‘that means you don’t know' so they tell you to prove they do.”  
“Good to know you base your tactics of childhood quarrels.” Rory said dryly “Now I feel very safe.*

**DOCTOR: Show me.**   
**VAN STATTEN: You want to see it?**

“Okay, but I’ve definitely seen cheap porn that starts like this.” Sniggered Jack.  
River raised an eyebrow “Cheap?”  
Jack shrugged shamelessly “No point for paying for something you can go outside and find for free.”  
River flicked her hair “When I’m in the mood I stop raging battles so I can watch the opposing monarchs ravish each other. But, in your defence, I don’t pay them.”  
Eleven shrunk against the seat, cheeks bright red “Rassilon, please stop. If I end up in a threesome with you two I think I might regenerate.”  
Twelve looked at him seriously “Yes. That’s how it happens.”  
Eleven looked horrified.

**ROSE: Blimey, you can smell the testosterone.**

“My point exactly!” Jack exclaimed.  
Eleven shrunk back in the chair again.  
River chuckled and kissed him softly, hugging him tight “It's okay, I’ll save you from the scary... sexy man.”  
Eleven didn’t know whether to feel relieved or disgruntled.

**VAN STATTEN: Goddard, inform the Cage we're heading down. You, English. Look after the girl. Go and canoodle or spoon or whatever it is you British do. And you, Doctor with no name, come and see my pet.**

Bill blinked, taken aback “Okay... How can someone be so offensive in one breath?”  
Thirteen grinned “Look! We’re British! We canoodle and spoon!” she exclaimed, hugging all three of her companions tightly to her, eliciting happy laughs and good natured shoves.  
Jack frowned “Hold up, I thought you said you were from Vulcan?”  
That made Rose laugh hard, though there were other snickers around the room.

Rory looked sadly at the screen “Pet? The first thing humans do when they find a living alien is lock it up and claim it?”  
“And torture it...” Amy breathed.  
Eleven shook his head sadly “It's a shame that often it’s the people like this who end up representing the planet. What type of message is this sending to the stars?” He loved Earth so much, it saddened him to think that other societies would believe the little blue and green rock to be a place full of savage killers.

**[Outside the Cage]**   
**VAN STATTEN: We've tried everything. The creature has shielded itself but there's definite signs of life inside.**

“ ‘Tried everything’?” Clara noted with a disgusted expression “He means torture, doesn’t he? That’s sick!”  
Twelve pursed his lips, he couldn’t help but agree “Yes. But remember what it is.”  
She bit her lip and nodded “But imagine if it was something else? They’d still do this to it.”  
Yaz looked between the two, confused “But what is it?”  
Thirteen’s teeth were gritted again, her face contorted in discomfort “A Dalek.” She said simply, coldly.  
Yaz looked up at her with wide eyes before deciding not to push it.

**DOCTOR: Inside? Inside what?**

“It's good to see we’re on the same page, then.” Mickey said with a small smile.  
The Doctors didn’t answer. They were too busy hanging their heads in shame. This was just before they found out what it was. They... Hated Daleks. How could they not? They were merciless killing machines with no feelings other than hate. They deserved to die and... This was why they were afraid. They hated Daleks so very much and their hatred would surely scare away these people, the people they loved so dearly. They’d view them differently, be scared, see how dark and dangerous he really was. How could they possibly survive that? And that was the point, wasn’t it? That’s why this was happening, to humiliate and expose him, to ruin his life, to hurt him.

**SIMMONS: Welcome back, sir. I've had to take the power down. The Metaltron is resting.**   
**DOCTOR: Metaltron?**

Jack shook his head incredulously “That’s such a stupid name for a Dalek.”  
“Yeah.” Thirteen said with a frown “You just took a Dalek and... humanified it.”  
Twelve sighed “It sounds like a remote control kids toy. This is a mass murder machine, it has to be treated with caution and taken seriously. Imagine being killed by something called a ‘Metaltron’.”

**VAN STATTEN: Thought of it myself. Good, isn't it? Although I'd much to prefer to find out it's real name.**

“So he just freely admits he created that? Doesn’t even try to hide that embarrassing little fact?” Twelve huffed.  
Clara frowned “This guy's so hungry for knowledge, why does he want to know?”  
“Well...” Donna said hesitantly “Aren't we all like that? Want to know everything there is to know about the universe...”  
Ten smiled at her “Yes, you do want to know it all. But you’re nothing like him. He wants to know everything so he can be the ‘best’ person in the room. He wants to claim it and exploit it and get profit. Or, at the very least, he wants to be able to brag about how he has something that no one else does.”  
Ryan shook his head “I just don’t understand! How can people like that exist? What’s going on in their heads?”  
“Unfortunately, there are even worse types of people than that.” Said Thirteen.

**SIMMONS: Here, you'd better put these on. (gauntlets) The last guy that touched it burst into flames.**

Amy frowned in confusion “Does that always happen?”  
Eleven shook his head “No. But it could, if only the Dalek wants to, so don’t touch Daleks. Understand?”  
“Oh trust me, Doctor, if I see a Dalek my first thought would not be no go and pet it.”

**DOCTOR: I won't touch it then.**

“Well, that’s one way to get around it.” Jack said with a shrug.  
River frowned “You really should wear those, though. Just to be safe.”  
Eleven looked up at her “When have you ever cared about safe?”  
“I’m always safe. I know how to handle myself even without safety gloves.” She said “You, on the other hand, would cut yourself opening a can of pickles.”  
He pouted sulkily “That was one time! And I told you not to tell anyone.”  
“Oops.” She said with an unapologetic smile.

**VAN STATTEN: Go ahead, Doctor. Impress me.**   
**(The Doctor steps through the heavy door.)**

“Uh oh...” Jack murmured, frowning worriedly down at Ten. This Doctor, on the TV, must have been fresh from the Time War. He’d heard tales... How would the Doctor react? He squeezed Ten’s shoulder supportively.  
Martha, also knowing about the Daleks and how the Doctor was about them, shuffled closer to Ten and wrapped her arms around him. Following their lead, Donna did the same. Across the whole room the companions curled closer to their Doctor. Whether or not they’d encountered the Daleks, they could tell that whatever was about to happen was going to be tough on their beloved Time Lord.

**VAN STATTEN: Don't open that door until we get a result.**   
**(Van Statten and Goddard go to a desk with monitors on it.)**

Clara let out a soft gasp of horror “They...?” she swallowed, anger simmering “They just locked you in a room with a Dalek? I know they don’t know what it is but they know it’s dangerous!”  
Jack nodded, glaring at the screen “Something tells me they wouldn’t even open that door if they watched him dying.”  
“It makes me think they almost deserve what’s about to happen to them.” River murmured “Almost.”  
Ten stared at the screen, eyes dark and intense “It’s not me I’m worried about.”  
Jack’s eyes went wide, how bad was this?

**[Cage]**   
**(It is dark inside. The door clangs shut and locks.)**

“Okay, this is some proper horror movie stuff.” Mickey muttered, curling closer to Rose.  
No one else could bring themselves to say anything, tension thick in the air. The Doctor had just walked into the lions den. Well, that, was, if the lion was a soulless almost invincible killing machine that killed anything and everything different to itself.

**DOCTOR: Look, I'm sorry about this. Mister Van Statten might think he's clever, but never mind him. I've come to help. I'm the Doctor.**

“Fuck...” River breathed, eyes wide. She massaged her husband’s chest gently “Perhaps don’t announce yourself every time you encounter something, sweetie.”  
Eleven huffed “Yeah, I’ve gathered.” He said in a light tone, though he’d pulled River tightly close, needing the comfort.

Yaz smiled softly, eyes sad as she looked at the screen “It just shows, you always want to help. Anyone and anything. That is, until they prove to you they... Are behind helping.”  
Thirteen squeezed her hand thankfully, though her eyed were fixed on the screen. She bit her lip before leaning down so the rest of the room wouldn’t hear.  
“Please don’t hate me.” She breathed, voice shaking with emotion. If that happened, she simply couldn’t live with herself. Many people hated her, and she could live with that, if maybe not handle it. But if her best friends hated her she’d... She didn’t know what she’d do. It wouldn’t be good. Sometimes she just hated herself. Really and truly.

**(A white light blinks next to a blue glow.)**   
**METALTRON: Doc Tor?**

“Oh no...” Martha said, eyes wide with dread.  
Everyone shuffled closer to their Doctor. They didn’t know whether they were trying to comfort him or hide behind him.

**DOCTOR: Impossible.**

Eleven closed his eyes in a pained grimace. The good old days. When he’d thought that his sacrifice was almost worth it. He’d murdered billions in a single moment, so that way more than that could live. But now the Time Lords were dead and the Daleks had survived. Sure, the Time War was over but at what cost? He’d fired the last shot but the Daleks had won. Because they were still there, they were always still there. All the times he’d seen them since this moment, when he’d thought seeing a single broken Dalek was impossible.

**METALTRON: The Doctor?**   
**(The lights come up to reveal a Dalek being held in chains.)**

Jack stared in morbid fascination “That... That looks so wrong. A Dalek held back by chains? What the hell did they do to it?” And where can I learn to do it too, he finished in his head.  
“It just survived the Time War.” Ten said, voice devoid of emotion.  
Jack’s eyes snapped to him, looking at his startled. Ten really didn’t look in good shape. Not that he’d been in a very good shape before. He looked like he’d just been through a waterslide made of a grater, it didn’t like like it’d take much to push him over the edge. He shifted so he could wrap his arm around the man’s shoulders, hoping he could provide some semblance of comfort. From the way the taught muscles relaxed slightly, he figured he’d succeeded.  
  
**DALEK: Exterminate! Exterminate!**

“What...” Rose breathed “I-I never... I wasn’t there... I didn’t know...” he’d never realised that this had happened! And the whole while she was off with some random guy mildly flirting. She could have been helping the Doctor!  
Clara shook her head, eyes wide “How did you survive?”  
“Ye of little faith.” Eleven murmured, his smile looking nothing but sad.

**(The Doctor hammers on the door in terror.)**   
**DOCTOR: Let me out!**   
**DALEK: Exterminate!**

“You're trapped!” Amy gasped in horror “W-With a Dalek...”  
Graham looked at the screen, pained “Those bastards. They aren’t even going to let you out when that thing’s clearly about to kill you!”  
Even the companions who’d never encountered a Dalek before could feel the fear and dress of the scene. Seeing the Doctor so terrified, running like that and begging to be let out scared them. What was so awful that the Doctor was this afraid of it? The Doctors stared at the TV with the same pained expression, remembering all the times they’d ever encountered Daleks. The fear, the death, the horror. The Time War... Were they so very evil for hating Daleks?

**[Outside the Cage]**   
**GODDARD: Sir, it's going to kill him.**

Mickey shook his head “It's weird, I’m actually surprised to see someone with basic human decency.” Was this the life that Rose lead? The life she chose over their future together? No... He’d stopped caring about all that, he’d accepted that Rose loved the Doctor, not him. He was always second choice. No, he wasn’t even second choice. But... Was Rose safe? If this was her life now, was she safe?

“Listen, sunshine! You’d better fucking let him out!” Donna shouted at the screen. No one had the bravery to point out that they couldn’t hear her.

**VAN STATTEN: It's talking!**

Rory shook his head “Sometimes I’m ashamed to be human.”  
“Don’t say that, Pond! Never say that.” Eleven insisted “Every species has the good and the bad. I hate being a Time Lord, they’re the ones who put us in this room! We are who we are and all we can do is be the best person we can, then that makes our species tilt that little bit more towards the good.”  
Everyone was silent, not having expected a meaningful speech.  
Bill broke the silence with an incredulous laugh “Oh my gosh, Doctor.” She turned to Twelve “You never told me you were a hippy before! ...what happened?”  
He shrugged “I prefer punk and rock and roll. Any day.”  
Eleven grinned brightly, sticking his hand up like he was in a class room “I like rock and roll! I’m very rock and roll!”  
“Yes you are, sweetheart.” River said patronisingly, patting his shoulder.

“I think we can all agree, though, that this Van Statten guy is a piece of work.” Jack commented.  
Everyone nodded and chipped in with ‘oh yeah's and ‘definitely's.

**[Cage]**   
**DALEK: You are an enemy of the Daleks! You must be destroyed!**

“Isn’t everyone an enemy of the Daleks?” Jack muttered.  
Martha looked worriedly at the screen “Oh gosh, oh gosh, it’s gonna kill you!”  
Yaz's eyes were wide “Is there no way of reasoning with it?”  
Thirteen shook her head, eyes dark like it always was when she thought of Daleks “Daleks don’t listen. They don’t empathise or give mercy. There’s no reasoning with a Dalek.” She turned to look at her companions “If you ever see one, run. Don’t dawdle, don’t try to stop them, don’t even save the other people, if the Dalek is targeting them they’re already dead. Just get out!”

Her words made everyone wonder. Who was she? What dealings did she have with the Daleks? Perhaps her family had been killed by them, she seemed to take them very personal. Her companions stared at her wide eyed, frightened. It was rare that the kind hearted, childish, bright girl was this dark. That meant it was serious. River, however, was thinking something herself. This Theila girl was talking about Daleks an awful lot like the Doctor. In fact, looking around the room, her facial expression exactly matched that of the three men. Was she being paranoid? She couldn’t o pointing fingers like this without any evidence.

**(Its gun arm twitches but nothing happens.)**

There was a collective sigh of relief.  
Jack shook his head “To break a Dalek firearm like that... I’m gonna go out on a bet and say it was damaged before it got there.”  
“If it could shoot then none of these humans would still be alive.” Twelve confirmed darkly.  
“It seems so wrong.” Clara said with wide eyes “To see a Dalek broken like that. Unable to fire.”  
Ten pursed his lips “Good for me, though. I wouldn’t have stood a chance.”  
“Sitting duck.” Amy breathed “And they would just sit there and watch you die.”

**DOCTOR: It's not working.**   
**(The Doctor laughs as the Dalek looks at its impotent weapon.)**

It made everyone in the room uncomfortable to see the Doctor rejoice in another being’s misfortune in such a way. This wasn’t a reaction of happiness over his own survival, there was clear glee there over having bested the Dalek, seeing it reduced. The Doctors winced as they watched, hating the look in their eyes that they could so obviously see on the screen. It was manic and dark and gleeful. There was something ruthless and power craved there, all the things they’d sworn they wouldn’t succumb to when they took their name. This wasn’t who they were anymore! But... It always shone through. When there was no one watching, no one to hold them back. When an enemy hit too close to home, when a person was too cruel, when a situation hurt too bad. It terrified them to no end. If they were worse than the monsters they fought then wouldn’t the best thing they could do be to... Remove themselves from the universe? So they were no longer a threat.

Thirteen was sitting stark still. None of her companions had ever seem her around a Dalek before, she didn’t know how they’d react. Would they hate her? Please don’t hate me, please don’t hate me, please... A gentle hand squeezed her own. No... Two hands, one on each side. And one on her leg. She looked up with wide, surprised eyes to find Graham, Ryan and Yaz all smiling back at her with encouraging, consoling looks.  
“It’s okay.” Graham said softly.  
Ryan nodded “Yeah, whatever’s wrong, we are here.”  
“No matter what this shows us, we are here. Okay? No matter what.” Yaz insisted, chin resting on her knee as she looked up at her.  
Thirteen smiled softly, taken aback by how wonderful they were. “Thank you.” Was all she could say.

**DOCTOR: Fantastic! Oh, fantastic! Powerless! Look at you. The great space dustbin. How does it feel?**

As much as they tried to hide it, people reacted instinctively in fear. Wincing or recoiling or looking away, eyes wide at the sight. It was just so... wrong to see the Doctor like that. The Doctor wasn’t supposed to be like that. They’d all seem the danger in him, or her, especially when he was facing off with some enemy or another, but it was different to see it like this, like they were in the position of the Dalek. They had to wonder... Would he have acted differently had Rose been there? Did he hide some of the darkness simply for their sake? Or did their presence ground them? Or would he simply have been like this whether or not there were people in the room? The Doctor, all to aware of the looks on their friends' faces, tried not to let their hearts break. It was hard.

“Doctor...” Bill breathed, eyes wide.  
Twelve dipped his head in shame “I was young back then. Fresh from the war, I’ve matured. Changed. I’m better I—” his defence was cut off by a hug.  
“I’m sorry they did whatever it was to you.” She murmured, squeezing him tight.  
Twelve blanched “What?”  
Bill pulled back so she could look at him “The Daleks. Whatever they did to make you hate them so much. It must have been awful!”  
He looked down, feeling somehow even more ashamed of himself “You think to well of me.”  
“But didn’t they? Do something awful?” Bill pressed.  
Twelve’s mouth opened and closed before he conceded “Yes. They did.”  
“Then there we are.” She said with a smile.  
He shook his head “I’ve done awful things to them, and I hate them. So much. Just because of what they’ve done, doesn’t make it right. That doesn’t make me a good person.”

**DALEK: Keep back!**

Jack smirked “A Dalek. Scared. And who said miracles weren’t real?”  
“It is kinda nice to see the tables turned.” Martha admitted with a blush.  
Clara shook her head incredulously “You really scare them.”  
The Doctors felt shame in an instant but it was overshadowed by pride. They were proud of how much the Daleks hated them, feared them. The most despicable race in the universe and they were afraid of the Doctor. It felt good. Why should they be ashamed? Daleks didn’t even have feelings, all they did was hate.  
“They should be afraid.” Ten said, face devoid of emotion.  
Mickey stared around with wide eyes. Every person in this room, including Rose, was mental. Why was he there at all? It wasn’t like the Doctor cared about him, like whatever that letter said. He was just collateral damage.

**(The Doctor stands inches away, staring into its eyepiece.)**

“Okay that’s definitely a power move, you can’t deny that.” Amy said with a grin.  
Rory shook his head “When exactly did you meet these things? These... Daleks, are they?”  
Her eyes went to her fiance, surprised “Oh. Well... See, the phone rang and Winston Churchill called so we gave him a visit.”  
Rory sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose “Somehow, when you answer my questions I get even more confused.”  
“Shut up, stupid face.” Amy said fondly, kissing him.

Yaz winced, staring at the screen with wide, scared eyes “Doctor... Is it really wise to be antagonising it like that? If it’s so dangerous?”  
Thirteen opened her mouth to respond but Ryan nudged her in the side. She looked a bit sheepish before smiling at him in thanks and waiting for someone else to answer.  
“It’s a creature of rage,” explained Ten “Born of hate. To hate.”  
Twelve took over from there “And I’ve already put a massive target on my back. My head, my hearts you name it, they want to kill me. But most of all they want to best me. They hate me too much to kill simply. And that’s saying a lot because they’re hate monsters made to kill.”  
“They always say I’d make a good Dalek.” Eleven added in a small, broken voice.

River shook her head, lifting his chin so he had to look her in the eyes “Now stop being ridiculous, my love, you know that’s not true, you must. Daleks are emotionless, they feel nothing but hate. They never hesitate to kill. You... There’s hatred, yes, but we all feel that. Can you deny that you feel pain? Or excitement? Or happiness? Or sadness? When you look around this room can you really deny that you feel love?”  
He dipped his head before smiling softly “No.” He ran a hand over his face “No I can’t.” But didn’t that make it all the more worse? He had feelings, so what was his excuse? For killing, hurting, hating, destroying, stealing. All the things he did. He was more of a monster than the Daleks because he felt love for people and still caused them to die. All the people in this room... He’d ruined their lives. Even the people from the future, he must have. He always did. He was worse than Daleks. Daleks wouldn’t cause their best friends to lose their newborn baby, trained to assassinate them.

River watched as her husband spiralled into that well known darkness. She smiled sadly, brushing a hair from his face before her hand settled on his cheek, stroking gently. For a moment there, her words had brought light back into his eyes. But he was in a dark place right now. One of the darkest he faced, but certainly not the darkest. She knew that all she could really do was be there for him. She rested their foreheads together, their lips close but not touching. She wanted him to know she was there for him, through the good and the bad. For better or for worse. She knew the time hadn’t come for him, but he knew very well who they were to each other.

**DOCTOR: What for? What're you going to do to me? If you can't kill, then what are you good for, Dalek? What's the point of you? You're nothing.**

“Well, don’t complain; “ Graham exclaimed.  
Clara frowned “It’s true, though. All alone and without means to kill, unless something comes close enough for it to burn. That goes against everything a Dalek is. All it has left to do is to sit there and fester in hatred.”

Everyone was still shaken by how dark the Doctor had become, and how quickly. He looked almost manic. Those who didn’t know of the Time War knew there must be something bad. Those who did felt the gravity of the situation, this was a Doctor fresh from the Time War. Rose had been there for this but it hadn’t hit her just how much it hit home for the Doctor. What he’d done. What he’d one it for. So if they were shocked, maybe even afraid, of how the Doctor was acting, they wouldn’t let it show. Even a glimpse around the room would tell them that the Doctors were suffering. Exactly like this prison sentence was meant to make them. If it was unsettling to see the Doctor mad or was downright awful to see him in such blatant pain. Regret. Sadness, grief. Self-hatred. Those who knew what to look for could see the mysterious Theila looking exactly the same. River was certain now of who the stranger was, but now was no time to bring it up. Right now, that’d probably make her feel cornered, maybe even make her have a panic attack, anf there was nothing he— she hated more than looking weak in front of her friends.

**[Outside the Cage]**   
**DOCTOR [on monitor]: What the hell are you here for?**

“I thought...” Ten started, words shaky. He let out a jagged breath “I was so certain that I was rid of them. But it was all for nothing.”  
Eleven shook his head “Daleks are killing machines, one single one could kill an entire solar system of people or more but... That’s nothing to what the Time War would have done had it continued for even a day longer. It had to be done. It had to.” He said firmly, though his face showed clearly how much the words broke his soul.  
Twelve and Clara shared a look, though they didn’t need to communicate to know they mustn’t peak of what they know. This was an integral part of his past, they couldn’t tell them what happened. If they did then they mightn’t even save Gallifrey! And then what? They’d be back where they started.

Ryan patted Thirteen on the shoulder consolingly “Are you okay?” he whispered.  
She took a deep breath before shaking her head “No. But,” she continued, before any of the three could say anything “I’m better than those two. I know... Things. Things that make it better, but not things that fix it. I still... I lost... S-So many people di... But I’m over it. I moved on. I British by residence, ain’t I? All the time I spend here. And we Keep Calm and Carry On, don’t we?”  
Graham nodded “Yeah but... Sometimes that’s not enough. You know you can talk to us all about anything.”  
“Even if you just need the company, or the distraction.” Yaz added.  
Thirteen smiled “Yeah. I know. Thank you. Really, thank you more than I can express.”

**DALEK [on monitor]: I am waiting for orders.**

“There's no one out there for it, is there?” Bill asked, looking at the thing with a strange feeling. It was like... Her mind had started to form pity before remembering what it was (though apart from that one small encounter she didn’t know much, but she’d picked up from context) and stopping that, feeling repulsion and morbid fascination. It was a strange emotional cocktail.  
Ten sighed, running a hand through his hair “Well... That’s the idea.”  
Bill frowned “Idea and reality are very different things.”  
“Yeah. They aren’t they?” Ten murmured.

Rose sighed, eyes downcast. She remembered that Dalek. She’d truly empathised with it, and it with her crazily. It wasn’t a Dalek any longer, though, not properly. It had killed itself because it was all alone in the universe. Only, it wasn’t. But... Faced with proper Daleks she now understood the Doctor’s hatred. If this Dalek had rejoined a fleet like that then what? It was probably... Though it pained her to even think it, it was probably better off dead. Her eyes went to the Doctors, so different yet the same to the man she knew. Had they ever thought about it? Like that Dalek, had they ever thought about killing themself? Because there was no one left. No hope, no purpose. No identity. No place to call home. She liked to think that she made him feel better, that she helped. Looking around the room now she understood. How could she begrudge him companions when he was already so very painfully lonely? It was petty and childish of her to think he should be alone bar her. He needed friends, people to say they loved him, people to show him that even if his planet was gone he was still wanted and needed and cared for.

**[Cage]**   
**DOCTOR: What does that mean?**

Mickey couldn’t bring himself to make any quips, not when the Doctor was already so downtrodden. The man may be a dick sometimes but he was human... Meaning, that was, he had feelings. He wasn’t about to kick a man when he was down. Besides, he’d start being nicer to him, though Rose and the Doctor still acted like he didn’t exist half the time. Apparently everyone else was thinking along the same lines as him because no one made any jokes about the Doctor not knowing.

**DALEK: I am a soldier. I was bred to receive orders.**

Ten shivered. He felt like that sometimes. Because he was a soldier. Or, he had been at least. Many times. Whenever he thought he’d outrun it, it came back for him. He was his own worst enemy. He was his own sole hater. He’d never been one to listen to orders, though. He snorted. How pathetic. Picking out little details he had different to a Dalek and clinging to them for dear life. He fingered the gun in his pocket. He was a soldier right now... No. He was an assassin.

“That’s a bit grim, ain’t it?” Donna murmured, staring at the screen.  
Martha nodded in agreement “Daleks aside, I just don’t understand when entire species are bred for a single thing!”  
“Yeah. Like the ood... A whole race supposedly bred as slaves.” Donna added, eyes distant “The'yre so much more, though.”  
Twelve looked at the two “It's not such a foreign concept to you humans. You have cats and dogs, bred to keep you company. You have cows and pigs, bred to be food. Dolphins to do tricks. And they’re even more intelligent and advanced then human life!”  
Both woman looked a bit sick at that which, in his defence, did make Twelve feel bad.  
“Ray of sunshine you are.” Eleven said.  
Twelve huffed “You can’t talk. You’re the one who sits brooding in the Victorian era for an age.”  
Eleven looked affronted “I don’t brood. And anyway. Spoilers!” he insisted.  
Twelve rolled his eyes “Isn’t this,” he waved at the TV “Already spoilers?”  
“If this is what it’s like in your head, Doctor, no wonder you’re bloomin' mad.” Donna said fondly.

**DOCTOR: Well you're never going to get any. Not ever.**

That came across as sad almost. Because, of course, if there were Daleks no more then there were Time Lords no more. No more... Like the old painting, Ten noted. He couldn’t deny the pleased, satisfied tone in his voice, either. Gone was the Dalek empire. What a glorious world. Only, it wasn’t gone. It came back again and again and again and every time he fought it, stopped it, but he left a bit of his soul behind too. Jack squeezed hugged Ten wordlessly. He’d heard stories about the Time War, and even that was enough to haunt him. To have fought in it... To have played such an integral role, the most important role, how was this man in his arms any semblance of sane?

**DALEK: I demand orders!**

“You almost feel bad for it...” Bill murmured, eyes fixed on the thing.  
“Don’t.” Twelve said firmly “Never sympathise for a Dalek. It’s crocodile tears.”  
“There's no such thing as a good Dalek, only a broken one.” Eleven said matter-of-factly.  
Bill raised her hands in surrender “I said almost...”

“Are they really all that bad?” Rory asked, leaning closer to Amy so only she could hear.  
She looked at him funny “Um, yeah! Why wouldn’t they be with all these people saying how awful they are.”  
He blushed and shook his head “I don’t know. You know how the Doctor gets all... Emotional sometimes. And dare I say biased?”  
Amy pursed her lips “Perhaps he is biased against them because of how much his people hare them and what they’ve done to them all but...” she shook her head “They’re truly awful. I mean, it only makes sense. The Great Time Lords wouldn’t have some lame little arch enemy.”

Eleven heard as they spoke, his hearing was better than a humans after all, but he chose not to say anything.

**DOCTOR: They're never going to come! Your race is dead! You all burnt, all of you. Ten million ships on fire. The entire Dalek race wiped out in one second.**

Jack’s eyes were wide. Hearing legends, old woman’s tails about the Time War was a very different thing to hearing it from someone who was at the front line. A war where millions of Dalek ships burnt was surely a testament to the magnitude of it. The worst thing was seeing it in the Doctor’s eyes. As he uttered those words a fire burned in those eyes, like they were reflecting the flames of an entire world burning. Two mighty races, burnt in the depths of the fire. Never to be seen again. Except for the survivors, who emerged with the scars. Broken or insane. Like those Daleks back on the satellite, like the Master. Even the Doctor. He was a good person, but it couldn’t denied that he was mad.

“Ten million Dalek ships?” Martha breathed, eyes wide.  
Rose bit her lip, wishing she’d stayed. The Doctor had needed her and she was off flirting! He had been forced to relive the darkness alone. Even now she was a couch away from the closest Doctor, too afraid to reach out. Afraid to find she’d lost her place. He had new people in his life, and it was clear she hadn’t been by his side for some time. Did that mean that she had no place in his life any longer? She knew it was stupid. Ten had been broken and bloody on the floor and the first thing he’d said was her name! That did not indicate that he didn’t care about her any more. She shook her head, and here she was brooding about her own little crush when the Doctor was being wounded by the memories of his past. A past more vast and dangerous than anything she could even imagine, and by now she’d been through some horrific stuff too.

Clara dipped her head. She’d seen the Time War... Of course, she hadn’t fought there. She hadn’t lived there while fires slowly consumed the sky. She couldn’t even pretend to know how awful it was, she wouldn’t dare. But... The fact that she’d actually seen it made it hit her how real this was. It was like a history textbook. You read about it and understand it well enough but it doesn’t hit you, not really, that this was real. It was someone’s reality, their world. They couldn’t just close the textbook and move on. She shivered, curling up against Twelve’s side. She felt him squeeze her knee gently.  
“Remember,” he said in a soothing whisper “It's not what they think. We saved them. The Daleks may have survived but so did the Time Lords.”

She smiled at him, though sadness was almost exploding from her, and nodded “Yeah! I know, it’s... It’s amazing. A miracle.” She wiped her tears “Blame the build up of the episode, it’s really engaging.” She couldn’t let her sadness hurt him, when his spirit was already so delicate right now. She just couldn’t... She couldn’t forget that even if all Time Lords didn’t die, a big fat number of them did. Just because all of England wasn’t wiped out in the world wars didn’t mean they weren’t some of the greatest tragedies in history. Such a big war. Far bigger than anything any human, including herself, could ever wrap their head around.

**DALEK: You lie!**

“I wish.” Eleven breathed, eyes sad and distant “Oh, I wish.” He smiled sadly, straightening his bow tie and looking down “Rule number one, the Doctor lies. Why couldn’t this be one to, eh?”  
Clara's eyes were wide and sad as he stared at him, into an old forgotten face of a friend. She wanted to tell him so bad that his home was still out there somewhere. That he hadn’t killed them all, of course he hadn’t. It wouldn’t take away the pain but it’d surely help ease it. When she saw the clear self hatred in his eyes she almost broke.  
“No, Clara.” Twelve said firmly but not without compassion “We cannot tell him, we can’t tell anyone. Time is to delicate for that, I’ve messed with the laws of time before and it simply cannot be done. Should not be done. It makes it worse. And, well, if there is something worse than.... Th-that then I don’t know about you but I don’t want to see it.”  
Clara nodded tearfully “Y-Yeah... Yeah, I know. Sorry.” She wiped at her cheeks.  
Bill frowned, looking over at the two whispering “You guys alright?” she asked, eyes wide with concern.  
Twelve shot her a small smile “Yes.” Was all he said.

**DOCTOR: I watched it happen. I made it happen.**

Bill shook her head “What... What happened?”  
Eleven swallowed hard, running a hand over his face “There was a war. A Time War. Like your human World Wars except bigger, way way bigger, it involved... Well, all of time. And it ended far less pleasantly than the World Wars too. There was no VE day celebrations, no husbands coming back from war, no peace in our time. It just... Ended.” He couldn’t say any more. He just couldn’t. Even now he felt his eyes stinging with tears and that was absolutely unacceptable. He curled up against River when she gently ran a hand through his hair.  
Bill bit her lip, unable to stop herself from asking the question that simply shouldn’t be asked, her very tongue begging her not to speak “How?” she whispered, as if she wished she wouldn’t be heard. She got no response from Eleven. No response from any of them, though the saddened, pained looks spoke loudly enough.

Yaz bit her lip, hating how utterly sad the atmosphere was “Still,” she said, voice exploding with forced positivity “It's not so bad, eh? The universe is better without ten million Dalek ships, right?” she immediately felt as if she’d said the wrong thing. Everyone looked even more dark and sad but still no one spoke. She didn’t understand! If Daleks were so bad then why was their destruction so awful?  
Thirteen squeezed her shoulder shakily, as if she was trying to give her support, when clearly she was the one who really needed it “Th-that's not...” she trailed off, eyes distant, before shaking her head and looking down. It was clear she wouldn’t talk any more.

**DALEK: You destroyed us?**

Ten sat stock still, staring at the screen with an intense dark look, though if you looked closer you could see his whole body trembling “I-I had to! I had... Th-They were going to kill more if I didn’t, the war would have raged on until the universe burnt. I-I...” he ran a hand over his face “They’re Daleks! They kill, that’s what they do. They’re not like us, they don’t feel. They... They would have killed so many, I saved lives by killing them!” Sometimes it was necessary to use a gun, metaphorically or literally. He pulled his jacket tighter around him so no one could see that damned metal device. He didn’t know whether he was trying to convince them all or himself.

Thirteen dipped her head “It was a bad time for me back then. A really, really bad time.” She murmured softly to her fam. Looking back, it was a wonder she had survived. She had been all alone and dying, then the Time Lords... Then Wilf and the knocking and... Well. She had really considered simply refusing to regenerate. In fact, she was honestly surprised she had. She looked up at Twelve, that had been a close call too. But he regenerated again, into her. And if he hadn’t then she’d ever have met her beloved team. She smiled, squeezing the two hands in her own and playfully nudging Yaz with her knee.

Rose watched as Ten spiralled out of control in his own darkness. He really was the Doctor, wasn’t he? Because she recognised that look. She’d seen it so many times. The pain, the anger, the regret, the self loathing. His body may be different but his eyes were the same. The person he was was the same. Timidly, she got up from Mickey’s side and walked over. She didn’t even think he realised she was there until her arms were wrapped around him. She didn’t say a word but didn’t let go and, after only a few moments, she felt arms wrap around her too. She grinned happily, though she still felt the heavy sadness over the Doctor, her Doctor no matter what he looked like, suffering.

When she got up to go, Donna shook her head.  
“No, come on!” Donna beckoned her back “There's plenty of space here. Stay.”  
Rose looked at the couch apprehensively. There really wasn’t room at all, already Jack was sitting on the arm of the chair. Before she could say anything, she was pulled down with a soft yelp of surprise. She found herself sitting in Ten’s lap.  
“Hey.” She said with a grin.  
He reciprocated with a grin of his own “Hey.”  
They hugged again in silence as the TV continued to roll on.

Rory looked over to the lone figure of Mickey, sitting awkwardly alone on the abandoned couch. He grimaced empathetically, he’d definitely been there. Though, he had been chosen. And he knew that both Amy and the Doctor would never leave him behind.

**DOCTOR: I had no choice.**

“I really didn’t.” Ten insisted, voice shaking with tears “There was... Th-There was no other way.”  
Rose nodded, pulling him closer “I know. I know there wasn’t. You did the best thing, you know that. You saved billions. Trillions. Not too shabby.” She smiled encouragingly, though she knew very well that nothing she said would heal the hurt. At least, she could be a balm of sorts.  
He smiled weakly and squeezed his hold on her waist.

**DALEK: And what of the Time Lords?**

“No...” Eleven breathed, screwing his eyes shut in pain. Why did it have to ask? The words hurt far worse than any blast from a gun stick would. The Dalek was surely doing it on purpose, enjoying his suffering. He perhaps shouldn’t have antagonised it. Yeah, like that’d help. It’s a Dalek. It hates you no matter what. It’s almost comforting. Except that, of course, it isn’t. It’s nothing like being comforting and he didn’t even know why he’d say that it was.

“That’s the thing you are, right Doctor?” Mickey asked. Though, once he had, he considered that he should perhaps stay quiet. It wasn’t like he was here for a reason, or that anyone wanted him there. And everything he said seemed to only serve to irritate or upset people, this was no exception.  
“Yeah,” Martha replied with a kind smile “That’s what he is.”  
He smiled appreciatively. He did have some dignity, contrary to popular opinion, and being left hanging by the whole room when he’d already been abandoned would just be the cherry on top. He was alright in life. People who got to know him liked him. He was an average sort of bloke but around the Doctor and Rose he felt less than the dirt on their shoes. Why did he stay? Why did he even bother? Even Jackie didn’t really want him around, other than to complain about Rose and the Doctor. This Martha girl seemed nice enough. She didn’t ignore him like everyone else, though he was afraid that it was only pity. He didn’t need the pity of any of them.

**DOCTOR: Dead. They burnt with you. The end of the last great Time War. Everyone lost.**

“That’s...” Amy shook her head sadly. It was a different thing to hear it like that. To see the look in his eyes when he looked into the face of his mortal enemy and recounted the most painful experience of his life.  
“The Time War.” Jack murmured “The Time Lords. It’s the stuff of legends, before I met you I never believed... Only, it was such a ridiculous notion. The sheer scale of it all, the horror, the darkness. I didn’t want to believe it. No one did, so they forgot.”  
“As is the way.” Twelve said with an unreadable look.  
Clara’s eyes went to Eleven. They called him ‘the one who forgets'. In the face of such bitter horror what choice did you have but to forget or to go insane? She wished she could take away the pain. She hoped that she helped by being there by his side. They all came for the chance to see the stars but they stayed for the hope that they might help the broken, wonderful man.

“The ‘last’ Time War?” Rory asked with a frown “Were there more?”  
Eleven pursed his lips in thought “Yes... Yes, I think so. If I recall correctly. Which I probably don’t, I lie so much even I don’t know. I’ve lost track.” I’ve blocked it out, all of it, because it simply hurts too much, he finished in his head. He straightened his bow tie “If there was one, I didn’t fight in it. I didn’t even want to fight in this one.”  
Rory nodded slightly awkwardly. He didn’t know why he’d asked, the less said on this subject the better really. He was a delicate man and this was his most sensitive topic of them all. They should all just let it slide so he could staunch his bleeding heart.

**DALEK: And the coward survived.**

“Okay let’s play the game ‘woke Dalek or rude Dalek?’.” Bill said lightly, trying to brighten the mood.  
Jack snorted “I like this one, Doc.” He said, shooting a grin at Twelve.  
Twelve huffed “Please, don’t waste your time. I hate watching tragedies, I refuse to see Les Miserables.”  
“Rude.” Jack huffed before raising an eyebrow curiously “Hard to get?”  
“Hard as it gets. I’m gay.” Bill explained.  
Jack grinned “Ah! A woman of my heart. I love it.”  
Bill grinned back.  
Twelve rolled his eyes “And I thought the flirting was bad. Banter! I hate banter!” he exclaimed, expression pained.  
Clara chuckled and hugged his arm, leaning her head on his shoulder “Oh Doctor.”

“I like banter!” Eleven added with a happy grin, hand thrusted into the air.  
“And flirting.” River smiled.  
“Only when there’s guns.” He countered.  
She nodded “Guns always make it sexier.”  
Donna leant in to Martha “You know like, there’s ‘Daddy issues' when you had a bad relationship with your dad?”  
Martha nodded “Yeah.”  
“Well,” Donna continued “Do you think there’s also a, like, ‘Gun issues' for when you had a bad relationship with guns? Because...” she gestured to the pair.  
Martha and her broke into giggles.

**DOCTOR: Oh, and I caught your little signal. Help me. Poor little thing. But there's no one else coming 'cause there's no one else left.**

“You were really in pain, weren’t you?” Martha said sadly “I mean... Worse pain.” He always looked in pain. There seemed to be a build up of tragedies that he just couldn’t shake, each weighing down on him and burning him more and more every day.  
Ten nodded softly “It was...” he shook his head “At this point it had only just happened. I met Rose the day I regenerated, that was the day I... The day it...” he couldn’t possibly bring himself to finish that sentence.  
Martha nodded softly in understanding, squeezing his hand.  
Eleven looked at his younger self with sad eyes “It wasn’t that long for you either. What was it, four years ago?”  
Jack’s eyes widened “It was that close? That must mean that the first time I met you you’d just... You had just been...” he shook his head “How are you sane?”  
Ten managed a small smile, an echo of a smirk “Who says I am?”  
Rose squeezed him in a hug, wanting to comfort him as his heart bled out. Whoever this High Council was or this Rassilon, she hated them. How could they purposefully make him suffer like this? It was sick! It was cruel!

Thirteen bit her lip, looking over to Ten. This all hurt her, of course it did, but she was in a far better place. Even with Bill... And Missy... And River... Even if she was hurting and mourning and missing people out of her reach, she was in a far better place now than she had been in a long time. The last time she’d felt so light and free was when she was living with her dearest wife for those precious years. Though even then there was the looming sadness of never being able to see her again. Well... She was always sad, always hurting, ever since she was a little boy crying alone in his bed. But the facts were that right now she was doing okay and back where Ten was she was doing worse than worse. Actually, where both Ten and Eleven were. Both times she’d considered... Doing something irreversible and stupid.

She fixed both men with a look “You from the future... The you I know, that is, he’s older, way older than you two. But he’s in a far better place. It gets better, trust me I’d know. It’ll be okay. Life, the universe, it’s beautiful! I know you know that. When your mind stops racing and the pain dies down, it’ll be easier to sit still and marvel in it all. With the help of every single person in this room you’ll be just fine, so hold on tight until then. It’ll be worth it, I promise.”  
Everyone was a little stunned that the mostly quiet woman had decides to talk so much. They knew nothing about this mystery woman but from that they knew she was wonderful. Whoever she was to the Doctor, she was surely good for him. Though the subtext of what she was saying, what it said about the Doctor, was scary and upsetting. River, however, understood more. She knew who she was. ‘Thank you' she mouthed over Eleven’s shoulder with a wink. Thirteen was taken aback for a second before chuckling and tapping her nose mysteriously. She should have known River Song would figure it out.

**DALEK: I am alone in the universe.**

“Okay, I am not feeling sorry for a Dalek.” Clara said with a frown “That is not happening.”  
“I always said you were crazy.” Twelve teased.  
“Oi!” Clara exclaimed, nudging his side “I’m crazy? I’m the crazy one in this friendship?”  
“Exactly. But points for being self-aware.” He replied dryly.  
Bill chuckled, amused. It was great seeing her Doctor around people from his past. He acted differently. With her, he acted more sad and distant, but also more gentle. Like a grandfather worn down by a life, children and grandkids. He was more like her eccentric professor. Well, he was her eccentric professor. Around this girl, though, a fire awoke within him. And some of the sadness went away. But somewhere else more sadness seeped in than ever before. It made her wonder what had happened.

**DOCTOR: Yep.**   
**DALEK: So are you. We are the same.**

“Now that’s bullshit if I’ve ever heard it!” Donna exclaimed, playfully slapping Ten’s shoulder.  
He pouted and rubbed his arm before smiling weakly up at her.  
She hugged his arm in her own “Everybody knows you’re the most loved man in the universe! Your name is weaved throughout time and space. And you have all of us! And more not in this room”.  
Martha nodded “Yeah, Doctor. You’re many things but alone definitely isn’t me of them.”  
“And even if you found yourself without us, you make friends easier than anyone!” Amy added.  
Rose rested her forehead against Ten’s “And when this was,” she pointed at the screen “You already had me!”  
“You’re not alone, sweetie.” River insisted “Never alone.”  
Mickey looked on with wide eyes. How could someone as blatantly loved as the Doctor ever feel alone? Everyone adored him!

All four Doctors smiled lovingly at their companions. Their family. Their eyes showed just how touched they were by the display.

**DOCTOR: We're not the same! I'm not (pause) No, wait. Maybe we are. You're right. Yeah, okay. You've got a point. 'Cause I know what to do. I know what should happen. I know what you deserve. Exterminate.**

  
Bill’s eyes went wide “What're you doing?” She asked in horror.  
Twelve dipped his head “I was a soldier, the war had only just ended. And that was the enemy.” He said, voice devoid of emotion, though inside he bitterly hated himself for uttering those words. He snorted, he was thinking as if denying it made it not true.  
Eleven smiled sadly, looking off into the distance with dark eyes “Told you I’d make a good Dalek.”  
Amy frowned “That's rubbish! Everyone knows it. Except you, apparently.”  
River nodded along, kissing his nose “Sweetie. I mean this in the nicest possible way: you’d make a shockingly awful Dalek. Really, it’s painful just to think about. You’d go around empathising with people, make friends with your targets, hover vastly away in the opposite direction to the fight.”

The mental imagery made Eleven smile a bit, though the sadness lingered. He knew that everyone in this room probably believed it when they said he wasn’t like a Dalek, even though they’d all seen the worst of him he was sure. Only, the ‘worst' of him they’d seen didn’t even begin to show the true darkness within him. He didn’t refuse to hold guns because he wasn’t violent, it was because he was awfully violent, so much so that he couldn’t be trusted to hold a gun, he didn’t ant to even think of what he’d do with one. His eyes went to his younger self’s pocket. He couldn’t see it, which was a wonder considering how bloody tight that suit was, but he knew there was a gun in there. That was a dark time. Though, he couldn’t ay much, he’d come from a pretty damn dark time too. ‘This is exactly you'. The darkness, the pain, hurting the people he loved, being hated by the people he loved... It was all exactly him. He did it all the time, he couldn’t help himself. As much as he liked to say it wasnt him, it was always him. Always always always his fault. Ten looked up when he felt himself being watched, pulling his jacket closer around himself when he saw Eleven’s eyes burning a hole into where he knew Wilf’s gun to be.

“Someone once said to me,” Twelve said in a sombre tone “Lifetimes ago, that you could hardly tell the difference between Daleks and Time Lords anymore.” He shook his head, running a hand over his mouth “It was true, back then. It wasn’t always like that, it was never meant to be like that, but it turned out that way. War... It brings out the best in us.” He finished sarcastically.  
“The things you do to win.” Thirteen murmured “In the name of peace, for the greater good. I think it’s something very different to emerge victorious and to win.”  
“The Time Lord Victorious.” Ten breathed, eyes wide with terror and pain. He swallowed thickly “Is winning worth becoming what you fought to protect people from?”  
“Is trying not to be like the enemy you being a better person or being an old fool in denial?” Twelve pondered.  
Eleven smiled sadly, as he often did, “If you find yourself there is the universe better off with you gone?”

River shook her head, eyes wide with fear and red with sadness “Don't you say that. Don’t you dare say that!” she raised a hand, fully intending to slap him for being so stupid but instead she cupped his cheek tenderly, hand shaking, as she rested her head against his, silent tears traitorously escaping her eye.  
Eleven looked down, ashamed of making his wife so upset “You know I always think it.” He murmured, subdued.  
River sighed tearfully “I know! I know and that’s why I’m so scared because you always think like that and you never stop and I’m so scared that one day you’ll...”  
“I'll what?” he asked.  
She shook her head, looking away.

He sighed, rubbing his temple before smiling comfortingly at her, taking her hands in his “Hey. Hey, it’s okay. Look, I regenerate again. There’s proof in this room! And technically that should be impossible so really I’m quite far away from suicide, I’m not even dying when I’m supposed to.”  
River winced at the word before sighing “Time can be rewritten. You know that very well. You could die tomorrow, and you’re so stubborn that the only way death will defeat you is at your own hand just...” she grimaced, she hated being emotional and yet tears still flowed “Please. I can’t lose you, you’re my life. I see you hurting all the time. You’re always sad and in pain, even when you’re happy there’s a darkness there and it only takes the slightest tip to make you fall again and... I feel so helpless! No one ever controlled you, if you really wanted to d-do it then there’s nothing I’d be able to do to stop you.”  
“Well, if anyone can control me it’s you, River.” He shook his head, tilting her chin up so she was looking at him “Hey. It’s okay. I mean it. I can’t deny that I’m sad and hurting and just generally a miserly old man with infinite regrets but I have you. By some miracle I have you. And you’re so... Amazing. You’ve made my life amazing. You’ve made me better. That is, you’ve made me feel better and be a better man. And a far worse man.” He joked with a wink.

She chuckled, wiping her tears “Oh yes, I should hope so. But don’t worry, I can make you way way worse.”  
“With your wicked ways?” he grinned.  
She kissed him chastely “You bet.”  
“I’m looking forward to it.” He said with a smile.  
She bit her lip, looking at him dangerously “You should be dreading it.”  
“Mm... I’m scared.” He amended.  
She nodded in approval “That’s better.”  
Rory sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose “Am I the only one who gets whiplash listening to their conversations?”  
Amy chuckled and kissed her fiancé “They're in love! And... Y'know. Insane.”

Elsewhere in the room, the conversation wasn’t so light. Yaz’s eyes were wide with shock and sadness “Doctor...” she breathed, voice hushed so no one else could here “Do you... A-Are you... Do you really think about... ‘ridding’ the universe of yourself?”  
Thirteen sighed, looking at her with those strange sad-happy eyes “Yeah... Sometimes. But right now... With you guys I feel like I’ve found a family. I’m so much happier, and you’re all so good to me. Yasmin Kahn. Inviting me round for tea, who does that? The whole of time and space right there and you ask me round yours!” she said with a grin “It’s... Nice. I don’t know how to explain it but my life right now feels so... Good. Ugh. Over two thousand years! You’d expect I know how to use the English language but no.”  
Ryan smiled sweetly “It’s okay, Doc. We get it.”  
Thirteen nodded, smiling softly “Yeah... I still think like that sometimes. How can I not? I... I’m not always okay, but I want you guys to know how much you help me. I’m way better off than those two.” She pointed at Ten and Eleven “Those were... Really, really bad times. In fact, so bad well probably end up watching about them, knowing good ol' Rassie.”  
Graham smiled understandingly at her, squeezing her knee “Doc, if we are always there for you, okay? Even if it’s nothing, even if we’re busy, even if... Whatever! You can always come to any one of us if you need someone, or want someone. And by that I don’t an leave it until you’re collapsing on your feet, I mean come whenever. Not just worst case scenarios.”  
She smiled softly “Thank you. All of you. I... I will.”

Bill looked at Twelve with wide eyes. It was weird seeing teachers have emotions. Well, the Doctor hadn’t been just a teacher to her for a very long time but still, there was that sort of dynamic. The dynamic where she never got to see him bleeding.   
She opened her mouth to talk.  
“No.” Twelve cut her off simply, not looking.  
She frowned “Bu—”  
“I said, no.” He insisted “There is no reason to talk about this.”  
Clara pinched his arm “Oi. Let the kid speak.”  
He scowled at his shoes but fell silent.  
Bill grinned at Clara before speaking “Just want to say I’m here for you, Doctor. I know you hate all that stuff but no matter how much you hate it the fact still stands that I’m here for you.”  
“...Okay.” he replied awkwardly.  
Clara frowned “And?”  
He sighed “And... Thank you.”  
Bill chuckled “School teacher, huh?” she asked the other girl.  
Clara grinned in response “Not always but now, yeah. I love it. He says it’s because I’m a control freak... I’m not gonna argue with that.”

“You doing alright, Doctor?” Jack asked, frowning in concern as he shifted closer so he could hug the man with an arm.  
Ten nodded, looking down “Yeah... Yup. ‘course I am. Molto bene.”  
Donna bit her lip “Only... When you arrived. You said you fell through a roof...”  
“Oh my gosh...” Martha breathed, eyes wide “Did you jump?”  
“Doctor?” Jack pressed, anxious when the man didn’t respond.  
“Yeah... Yeah, I did.” He admitted reluctantly “Hey. Don’t look like that, it wasn’t like that. The spaceship was going too slow and I had to save the universe. Besides, I was mostly close to the ground.”  
Rose sighed, eyes sad. She didn’t say anything but pulled him closer, cradling his head where her neck met her shoulder. She knew him, even if it was a new face. He would only get like a corned, injured animal if they kept pressing him. He needed to know they cared.

Alone, Mickey sat awkwardly. He felt bad for not saying anything, the Doctor (all three of them) was obviously in pain but... He felt like he’d be intruding if he went and said or did something. He didn’t know the man... Alien all too well. He was probably best just sitting there. Watching the telly, snacks, alone. It wasn’t so bad. So long as he ignored all the strangers ignoring him. It was basically like a cinema.

“Back to watching, then?” Clara asked, looking around the room. Her eyes rested softly on each Doctor “Are you okay to continue?”  
They all nodded. The room fell into silence to watch on.

**(The Doctor pulls a lever on a nearby console and the Dalek is lit up with electricity.)**

“Fuck.” Jack breathed in surprise. When Ten stiffened he winced and amended “You're living the dream there, Doc. I know I can’t be killed by a Dalek but,” he huffed “Damn if there’s a single person in the universe who wouldn’t like a little revenge on a Dalek.  
Ten smiled faintly. He still felt despicable but he appreciated the effort.  
Around the room, practically everyone was disturbed. It was... Strange seeing the Doctor so upset. Angry. Satisfied over the pain of another living creature. Of course, they all would probably do the same when it came to Daleks but... This was the Doctor. Well, he was Time Lord. And the enemy of the Daleks. They all, if they’d seen him around Daleks, knew he hated them. It get rid of how disturbing this was. Despite the facts of the situation, it was still torture.

**DALEK: Have pity!**

Amy shook her head “A Dalek? Begging for mercy? That’s...”  
“Satisfying?” River suggested.  
Clara hummed in thought “About time?”  
“A miracle?” Jack added.  
“Really really disconcerting?” Martha supplied.  
“...I was going to say ‘new’ but those work too.” Amy said with a chuckle.

Jack shook his head “How dare it ask for pity? After all the Daleks have done, do they really think they’d get it?”  
“Everything has the right to ask for mercy.” Twelve said.  
Thirteen nodded “But when they do, they reap what they sew.”  
Rose looked at the screen sadly. She knew it was a Dalek and all but... She couldn’t help but see it as more. It became more. It was... If a Dalek could ever deserve mercy, this one did. It gave mercy. And it died. The only good Dalek.

**DOCTOR: Why should I? You never did.**

Bill chuckled “Straight up savage, Doc.”  
“ ‘Savage'?” Jack questioned. He sighed “Ahh. I love twenty first century slang.”  
“What, it's different in the... Future?” Bill asked. She assumed he was from the future, even though he was dressed like he was from world war two. Probably a time traveller.  
He nodded with a grin “Hell yeah. In my time you’d be calling him a ‘doorean'.”  
Bill grinned “Really? I can’t tell if you’re pulling my leg.”  
“You mean, if I’m ‘breaking the spork'.” He amended.  
She shook her head “Okay, you have to be joking!”  
Both tried to lift the mood of the room, hopefully distracting the Doctor at least a little bit. It seemed to be working as far as Twelve went, who was listening on in mild amusement, and Thirteen unbeknownst to them. Ten, however, was staring distantly.

Eleven rested his head against her chest “I really hate who I am sometimes. What I’ve done. “ he breathed softly “All the time. Every time I try to change, I try to learn from my mistakes and make myself better but every time I fail. Over and over and over... I get so mad. Like this. Like... Demon’s run. Or I get cocky. Or happy. Or sad. Or uncertain. It doesn’t even matter, whatever I’m feeling I always go too far. I do the worst of things and I... How can anyone ever forgive me? I can’t even forgive me!”  
“Honey, it's okay.” River insisted “You’re okay. You’re just angry at a Dalek, and rightly so.”  
He shook his head “Be better than your enemies. Don’t sink to their level. What bloody good am I if I am exactly the same as them?”  
“You’re not, sweetie, you're not.” She sighed, knowing she wouldn’t get through to him “When this is done, we’re going straight to bed. You need some rest and some peaceful space to calm down and just... Breath. You’re alright. If you allow yourself some rest you’ll remember that.”  
“I slept four days ago.” He protested.  
“I don’t care. You’re resting.” She insisted “And you don’t need to sleep, just take a break. We can talk. Think about the good things.”  
He pouted “What if it never finishes?”  
“Then we’ll get up and leave. It’ll probably stop if we do that anyway.”

**[Outside the Cage]**   
**VAN STATTEN: Get him out.**

Rose frowned angrily at the screen “Oh. Now you want to save him! Yeah... Thanks, mate. Fuck, I wish I’d just... Kicked him in the balls when I was there!”  
Jack didn’t know whether to chuckle or wince empathetically “Poor guy. He’d deserve it. Maybe if you asked our dear Doctor very nicely he’d take you back just so you can do that.”  
She batted her eyelashes at Ten “Pleeeease?”  
Ten sighed and rolled his eyes, playing along “Oh, go on then. What’s the point of all of time and space if you can’t go back for petty revenge?”  
“Take me! Take me!” Donna insisted “I want to watch this.”  
“Let me video!” Bill insisted “I won’t post it anywhere, just watch it when I need a pick-me-up.”  
Twelve pressed his lips together “Very well.”  
“Yay!” Bill exclaimed, hugging him tight.  
“Ugh! Nooo! I’ve changed my mind!” he complained, squirming in her arms, though Bill was sure that if he hated it all so much he could easily escape her embrace. The thought made her grin and hug tighter. He was a secret softie.

**[Cage]**   
**DALEK: Help me!**

The Doctors mused to themselves. Seeing a Dalek suffering. In pain. Was that what they wanted? They were electrocuting it and it was screaming in pain. They should feel satisfied. They did. But they also felt disgusted. With themselves, naturally. Ten watched the screen darkly, this was so close to him, only years previously. In his lifetime that was barely a day. He remembered it all, as he watched he paid more attention to his own memory. The hatred, the anger, the thirst for pain. Eleven dipped his head, thinking of where he’d just come from. This was making him realise just how often he was like this—so.... Detestable! Unforgivable. Twelve worried his lip between his teeth, thinking back to all the times over his long life that he’d done anything wrong. It was every single day. How, when he tried so hard, was he still so bad? What would happen if he stopped trying? If this was what he was like when he was trying to be nice then he dread to even think of it. Thirteen sighed sadly. She’d only just been telling her fam about how she was doing better, not thinking so darkly anymore, but they were only into the beginning of the first ‘episode’ and she already bitterly hated herself, all her old wounds reopening, how could she survive this whole thing? She’d surely die from it.

All the Doctors felt as if they were being split in two. On one hand, over hundreds (or thousands for some of them) of years of being who they were, the Doctor, someone, anyone, calling for help triggered the automatic reaction deeply ingrained in their mind. They must help. They must do all they can to help. But... Equally, Daleks came with their own subcategory in their brain, triggering all sorts of nasty thoughts and memories and emotions. Daleks. Their oldest enemy. The murderers of countless friends and family, and innocents all around the universe they’d never met before. They were the enemy. They were pure evil. They needed to be killed. And that, more than their need to help, made their hatred fade. The hatred was a self sustaining system, creating and destroying itself. Because they felt hate so strongly that it alarmed them into calming down, hating themself more than they hated Daleks.

**(Guards grab the Doctor as he goes to ramp up the voltage again.)**

“I always need someone to stop me.” Ten said sadly “When I’m alone...” he faded off.  
All the Doctors dipped their heads. They knew how bad they got when they were alone, though in the moment they weren’t so self aware. And they knew where Ten had just come from, what he must be thinking off. Would they end up watching about Bowie base 1? Rassilon, they hoped not. If they did that then... Well, it’d surely be the death of them.  
“You have us, Doctor.” Donna said quietly, remembering when she’d first met the Doctor. She’d had to scream at him to stop before he went too far. He did need someone, it was clear. But if he was a bad person then there wasn’t a good person in the universe.  
“And when you don’t,” Martha added “You have them.” She gestured to the rest of the room “And more, I’m sure. And we’ll stay with you forever, in your hearts and in little ways. Always.”

Mickey frowned, still looking at the screen “I don’t like the look of those guards. Especially since you just attacked their prize pet. And said some... Stuff. And made it talk.”  
Everyone jumped, having forgotten he was there. Mickey pretended to not have noticed.  
Martha nodded with a frown “Yeah, good point...” she let out a longsuffering sigh “Will you ever not get in trouble? Or... Just, when you’re in trouble, don’t make it deeper. That’s all I ask!”  
“Not a chance.” Ten said with a grin.  
Donna snorted “Why am I not surprised?”  
“It is more fun that way,” River added with a smile “The deeper the trouble, the greater the danger, the better the fun.”

Ten smiled at her, despite himself “Quite right. I can see why I like you.” He as still apprehensive about the woman, and incredibly sad. Seeing how close he clearly was to her in the future made knowing her death hurt all the more. He was looking forward to the life they spend together, though. He could definitely use the company.  
She chuckled “Oh, I didn’t give you a choice in the matter.”  
“I’m sure it’s good.” He speculated.  
She grinned “It’s a love to die for.”  
“Oi.” Eleven cut in good humouredly, squeezing her waist “Lay off him, he’s too young and innocent.”  
“You always need something to look forward to.” River addressed Ten, winking.  
Rose frowned from her position in Ten’s lap, squeezing him tighter. She could accept that the Doctor had someone else far in the future, he had a far longer lifespan than her after all, but for now he was hers.

**VAN STATTEN: I saved your life. Now talk to me. Goddamn it, talk to me!**

“This man is sick!” Donna exclaimed, shaking her head “The only reason he saved its life is for his own gain, and that’s the only reason he saved the Doctor too! He’d be willing to let anyone die in an instant if it profited him.”  
“Narcissus.” Ryan murmured.  
Yaz frowned in confusion “What?”  
He rubbed the back of his neck and shook his head “Oh... Nothing. Just a story Nan used to tell me when I was little.”  
“It’s a mythology thing.” Graham added.  
“Yeah.” Ryan nodded “Anyway, it’s basically this story where this self obsessed bloke falls in love with his own reflection and keeps trying to talk to it and touch it till he withers away to death. I dunno... Kind of reminds me of him right now. Trying so hard to talk to something he can’t have.”  
Thirteen nodded “Yeah. Narcissism is named after Narcissus. You know, he wasn’t even that good looking. Oh well, each to their own. He did the best French braids though!”

**(Simmons turns off the electricity.)**   
**DOCTOR: You've got to destroy it!**

Jack nodded “As much as you hate it, Doc, it’s true. You were doing the right thing. I don’t know what happens next but I’d place a bet that killing that sucker would have saved a tone of lives.”  
Ten nodded, sighing “Yeah. Killing a Dalek always saves lives. Sometimes... Sometimes you just have to. Because if you don’t take the opportunity then billions of people could die and it’d be all your fault.” He said, eyes distant as he thought of what he must do. Use the gun. Stop Rassilon, stop the Master. They were dead anyway, he’d killed all of his kind that dark day, now he just had to follow through. Till the deed is done. “ ‘Never shall that morrow see'.” He quoted, eyes distant.  
“Macbeth?” Clara asked, though it was more of a statement. It was one of the texts she taught her class.  
Ten grinned, the dark look falling away, emotions pushed back as he was so used to doing “Oh yes! Good ol' Will.”

Martha chuckled and shook her head “I can’t believe we were there for the inspiration of Macbeth. What with the witches and all.”  
“Expelliarmus!” Ten exclaimed dramatically.  
Donna’s eyes were wide “You met Shakespear? That is so cool!”  
“Don’t worry, we visit a writer too.” Ten said with a wink “I'll say no more.”  
Clara chuckled, patting Twelve’s chest “This one took me to see Jane Austen!”  
“That was a mistake,” Twelve grumbled “I couldn’t pull them apart.”  
“Fighting?” Mickey asked.  
“Kissing.” Clara amended with a smirk.

**(The Doctor is dragged out.)**

“No one ever listens to me!” Eleven whined grumpily with a pout.  
“Probably because you look a little like a raving lunatic there.” Rose teased “Hm... Actually, you kook like that all the time.” She smiled, tongue between her teeth in a way that made Eleven’s hearts flutter, then stab in pain. Oh, he’d gotten over loving Rose, but he’d never get over losing her.

Rory frowned and shook his head “I don’t like the look of that...” he murmured, looking at the screen.  
Amy sighed and nodded “Yeah. It’s a museum owned by a mad man who keeps live exhibits, no matter how intelligent and advanced, and isn’t afraid of using torture or even harming his fellow species.”  
“And now you’ve waltzed around showing your alien knowledge and have even admitted, on camera, to being a different species.” River chided, bopping his nose “You eejit.”  
Eleven flushed “Yes, well, it seemed like a good idea at the time.”  
Clara chuckled, thinking of all the times either of her Doctors spoke or acted before they thought. For someone so clever and experienced, they could be thick as logs. She wondered how much of it was culture difference, though. Like the times he’d kiss people as greeting, or go through stranger’s kitchens and stick his fingers into stuff.

**VAN STATTEN: The last in the universe. And now I know your name. Dalek. Speak to me, Dalek. I am Henry van Statten, now recognise me! Make it talk again, Simmons. Whatever it takes.**

“Really.” Bill said with a frown “This guy is so much worse than practically all of the monsters I’ve encountered.”  
“The human race.” Jack murmured “The worst monsters of them all.” He aid it like a question, as if hoping someone would correct him but fearing they wouldn’t.  
Thirteen frowned “Now, that’s not right at all! All races are flawed and have criminals and psychopaths and just plain bad people. But look at you! The human race. The gem of the universe. You do so much in your short lives, live and love and learn. You always survive. Your natural instinct is to learn and to care for others. How brilliant is that? A race that promotes passion and empathy and humour and art and knowledge! That doesn’t come naturally to everyone, you know. The human race...” she shook her head “Ugh! I love you.”  
“They don’t have that on Vulcan then, Theila?” Rose asked with a cheeky smile.  
Thirteen grinned back, doing the Vulcan three pronged salute.

Martha frowned in concern as she looked at the screen “He seems pretty thrilled to have the one and only in the universe. And you just admitted to being the last too!”  
“And being the last of your kind means he doesn’t have to worry about your people coming to save you. He can do whatever he wants.” Donna added anxiously.  
Ten scoffed “Oh, even if they were around they wouldn’t do anything.” Except maybe save him so they can kill him themselves. Well, not everyone was like that. Most people weren’t like that. Though most would stand by and watch, as was the Time Lord way. Never interfere. If Time said he was to be tortured to death on Earth then so be it, they’d say.

“He looks like he’s desperately trying to get control back.” Clara commented “After seeing you knowing so much, talking to it so naturally, I’m betting he’s feeling a bit upstaged.”  
River nodded “Yes... A powerful man with his pride hurt. It’s a dangerous combination.” She winked at Eleven.  
“Oi!” Eleven exclaimed, offended “Don't compare me to him.”  
“Mmm... Does it make you mad?” she teased.  
He smirked “So what if it does?”  
“Let it out, baby,” She purred “Don't bottle it all inside.”  
He bit his lip “You're just scared that it’ll come back to bite you later.”  
“Terrified.” She murmured, their lips going closer.  
Clara coughed and shifted a bit away, though she was on a separate sofa “Okay... Someone tell stupid young me that getting between that is not worth it.”  
“Speak for yourself.” Jack grinned “I'd like to get between that.”  
Rory hid his face in his hands “Please, someone. Save me.”

Amy chuckled, remembering the first time she’d seen River. It was clear that the two cared deeply for each other. At first she’d been surprised. Startled, even. But now she was just happy that the Doctor had somebody. Love was so very important. She smiled, her hand going to hold Rory’s. Rory looked at her in surprise before smiling softly and squeezing her hand back.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, that is not intended as an ending. The next chapter directly follows from it. Tell me in the comments if you'd rather I post them as one and take longer posting or as halves and take less time posting.

**Author's Note:**

> The alias 'Theila Oakbarrow' comes from the Doctor's name/alias (depends on who you ask): Theta  
> Oakbarrow as in 'Oakdown' and 'Lungbarrow'. Anyway, tell me in the comments if you like the idea of this fic anf want to read more! Tell me what you think! Also, any episode recommendations. I have a plan but would love some input.


End file.
